Court convicts retiree over perversion of justice

Justice Mojisola Dada of a Special Offences Court, Ikeja has convicted a retiree from the Auditor General of the Federation’s office, Charles Aiyeyi, for making a false statement to a public officer with intent to pervert the course of justice. 

The judge convicted Aiyeyi after funding him guilty as charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two-count charge.

The charges border on his involvement in stealing of documents in the trial of one Chief Executive Officer of Omo-Jay Nigeria Limited, Jerome Itepu.

The EFCC had arraigned the 66-year-old man, Aiyeyi along with one Friday Itsede on two count charges and they pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

Part of the charge reads: “Charles Aiyeyi, Friday Itsede and Jerome Itepu (at large) on or about December 21, 2018, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court conspired among yourselves to pervert the course of justice by giving Mr. Callistus Egwuonwu, a staff of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, employed in the public service with the intention of causing Jerome Itepu to be released on bail pursuant to which he absconded.”

Following their not guilty plea, prosecution called witnesses to testify in the suit.

One of the prosecution witnesses, Callistus Egwuonwu, testified that sometime in 2015, the EFCC received a petition against some persons, which included Jerome Itepu. 

He told the court that in the course of the investigation, Itepu was 2018, invited for interrogation, which he honoured and made the statement, following which he was granted administrative bail.

Fulfilling the bail condition, the suspected fraudster provided the two defendants who stood as sureties for him. 

Aiyeyi had produced a letter of introduction from the Office of the Auditor-General in which he was introduced as a staff of the Office.

The second defendant told investigators that the suspect was a ‘blood relation’ and that he could produce him anytime. They both signed a bond of N18 million each.

Thereafter, the suspect was released to the defendants, but he jumped bail, and became incommunicado, while the defendants failed, despite promises and assurances, to produce him.

Subsequently, the EFCC arrested the defendants and charged them in court for perverting the course of justice.

It was later discovered that at the time the first defendant introduced himself to the EFCC as a staff of the Office of the Auditor-General, he had in fact retired from active service.

During the trial, the defendants also filed a no-case submission, which was dismissed by the court, and they were asked to enter defence.

Delivering judgment, Justice Dada discharged and acquitted the second defendant.

She held the argument by the defence counsel that, Exhibit P3, which was the bail condition, required only one surety, a level-14 civil servant, which in the instance was Aiyeyi.

The Judge subsequently held that the prosecution successfully proved the charges against the first defendant and therefore sentenced him to one year in prison.

His counsel in his allocutions, however, prayed the court for an option of fine. 

The court, therefore, gave him an option of N1million fine.