Witness Tenders Document Exonerating Justice Ademola of Alleged Offences

Alex Enumah in Abuja
The National Judicial Council (NJC) yesterday tendered a document before an Abuja High Court clearing Justice Adeniyi Ademola of any judicial misconduct in a petition filed by one Hajia Fatima Sani Shuaibu, wife of a former Director in Pensions Account Office of Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, alleging that the judge had demanded a bribe of N25 million from her husband as motive for showing favour in the exercise if his judicial function as judge.

Justice Ademola, his wife, Olubowale and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Joe Agi, are been prosecuted by the federal government over a 16-count charge bordering on alleged giving and receiving of gratification and illegal possession of firearms.

The NJC is one of the witnesses listed by the federal government in the ongoing trial and had been subpoenaed to come and tender a petition filed by Fatima Shuaibu against Justice Ademola, Certified True Copy of the investigative panel proceedings and the Certified True Copy of the panel’s reports.

The document which was presented by the Director of Administration of the Council, E.I Odukwu, at the resumed trial was admitted as exhibit.

In count 11of the charges, the prosecution had alleged that Justice Ademola on or about February 21, 2014, in his capacity as a judicial officer attempted to obtain gratification in the sum of N25 million from Sani Shaibu Teidi as a motive for showing favour in the exercise of his official functions contrary to Section 115(b) of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532 Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, Vol. 4, 2007.

The prosecution had requested for the document to support his case.
Part of the documents produced yesterday by the Director, Administration, NJC, E.I Odukwu, included CTC of the investigative panel proceedings and the CTC of the panel’s reports, which read in part: “The respondent, having denied any involvement in the allegation, the complainant’s reliance is based on mere suspicion and it is trite that suspicion, no matter how strong, cannot warrant a conviction.

“We are persuaded to hold and unanimously too, that nothing has emerged from the complaints to establish that the respondent, Justice A.F.A Ademola, in dealing with the matter of bail application of Shuaibu, had compromised his judicial office, and we recommend that the complaints be dismissed as they have not been established.”

Earlier, the third prosecution witness, Ojima Etuh, a Research Assistant with the Fedral High Court, had told the court in her evidence in-chief that she knew Joe Agi (SAN) as Justice Ademola’s personal lawyer.

She also told the court that she had carried out other unofficial duties for Justice Ademola, including buying flight tickets, paying for DSTV subscriptions as well as withdrawing and paying in some money.

However, under cross examination by counsel to the defendants, the witness stated that Justice Ademola had once countered and thrown away a matter brought before him by Agi over his governorship ambition.

She also admitted that in cases involving Agi as a counsel, Justice Ademola always announce that parties were free to request for transfer of cases, and would not continue until there was no objection from both sides.

Etuh also denied ever being harassed or threatened by the defendants, following claims by the prosecution that some of his witnesses were threatened by some unknown persons.
Attempt to call the sixth prosecution witness was however, opposed by the defense counsel on that grounds that his summary of witness statement was not before the court.

Trial judge, Justice Jude Okeke, after listening to submissions of counsel adjourned till January 30, 31 and February 1, for ruling on the PW 6 and for continuation of trial.