EFCC arraigns dismissed judge on fraud charges

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday at an Ikeja High Court, arraigned Justice Mohammed Yunusa, a suspended justice of the Federal High Court Lagos on charges of corruption.

Justice Yunusa was arraigned alongside Esther Agbo, a staff in the law chambers of Mr Rickey Tarfa (SAN).

Yunusa was charged with a four-count charge of attempted perversion of the course of justice and corruption by a public official, while Agbo was charged with offering gratification to a public official.They denied the charges.

According to Mr A.B.C Ozioko, EFCC prosecutor, Yunusa had constant and confidential communications with Tarfa, who was handling three lawsuits marked FHC/L/CS/714/2015, FHC/L/CS/715/2015 and FHC/L/CS/716/2015 before him.

The prosecution alleged that Yunusa collected a gratification of N1.5 million from Tarfa for the purpose of giving favourable rulings and judgments in the cases.

The judge is also being accused of receiving N750, 000 from Mr Joseph Nwobike (SAN), between March and September, 2015, to get “favourable” judgment in cases.

The EFCC alleged that Agbo, the second defendant who is a staff of Rickey Tarfa and Co., on May 14, 2015 paid the N1.5 million allegedly from Tarfa into Yunusa’s UBA account number 1005055617.

The prosecutor noted that the offences are in violation of Sections 64(1)(a) and 97(3) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

After the charges were read, counsel to justice, Yunusa Mr I. Mohammed requested for bail for the judge on self-recognisance.

“We have filed a bail application dated Dec. 12 and on Jan. 9, we have served the EFCC, seeking bail on self-recognisance,” Mohammed said.

Counsel to Agbo, Mr John Odubela (SAN) the second defendant asked the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms because she’s a nursing mother.

“We will be asking the court for bail for the second defendant on the grounds that she is a nursing mother who just gave birth via cesarean section,” he said.

The presiding judge, Justice Sherifat Solebo in a ruling, granted Yunusa bail on self-recognisance while Agbo was granted one million naira bail with two sureties in like sum.

Solebo adjourned the case until Feb. 20 for trial.