by Eric Ikhilae,

The Federal Government has hired a former International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor, Charles Adeogun-Philips, to lead its team of lawyers to prosecute the Supreme Court Registrar and others for alleged N2.2b fraud.

But the arraignment of the three senior officials of the apex court was put off yesterday by Justice Abba Mohammed of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Jabi, Abuja because one of the Supreme Court officials, Muhammed Sharif, was absent.

The Federal Government on November 3 filed a nine-count charge against Chief Registrar Ahmed Saleh, Sharif and Rilwanu Lawal (who are both officials of the court’s Account Department.).

They are charged with conspiracy and criminal breach of trust for allegedly diverting N2.2billion belonging to the apex court and receiving gratification as public officers.

The three officials are also accused of receiving N74.4m gratification from contractors between 2009 and 2016.

The contractors from which they allegedly received the gratification are Willysdave Ltd., Welcon Nig. Ltd., Dean Musa Nig. Ltd., Ababia Ventures Ltd. and MBR Computers Ltd.

On November 8, Justice Mohammed granted a request by prosecution lawyer Hajara Yusuf for time to produce the three defendants in court for arraignment, following which the court adjourned till November 17 for arraignment.

Saleh and Lawal were in court. Sharif was absent.
Garba Tetengi (SAN), who announced appearance for Sharif, said he was ill and was on admission at the hospital. He sought an adjournment, which other defence lawyers – Abdulhakeem Mustapha – SAN – (for Saleh) and I.K Sanusi – SAN (for Lawal) did not object.

The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Umar, who led the prosecution team, later yielded proceedings to Adeogun-Philips, who spoke for the prosecution.

Umar said the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), had in exercising his powers under Section 174(1) of the Constitution, elected to engage an international lawyer to conduct prosecution in the case.

Adeogun-Philips said he was unhappy that Tetengi could not provide any document to show that Sharif was on admission in the hospital.

Justice Mohammed rescheduled the arraignment for December 15.

OZAOEKPE:

sarrki:





Booking space & you blame our leaders of incompetency

On nairaland you can't even make a statement instantly

OZAOEKPE:


Monitoring spirit........

Charles Ayodeji Adeogun-Phillips (born in London, England, on 6 March 1966) is a former genocide and war crimes prosecutor, international lawyer, and founder of Charles Anthony (Lawyers) LLP.

He was the son of Professor Anthony Adeyemi Adeogun, Professor Emeritus of Commercial and Industrial Law and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, an international labour law expert. His mother, Margaret Amba Ayinke Adeogun (née Williams), is a retired nurse and midwife.

He is a grandson of Phillip Bamgbose and Theresa Fatola Adeogun of Ajale Compound Igbajo, Osun State, Federal Republic of Nigeria, and of Henry Isaac Kobina-Badu Williams, of Cape Coast, Republic of Ghana and Joanna Olasumbo Williams of Itesi, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Federal Republic of Nigeria. His name "Ayodeji" means "My joy is doubled".

Education

He was educated at C.M.S Grammar School, Lagos, Nigeria's first secondary school (founded in 1859) and at Repton School in Derbyshire, England. He read law at Warwick University from where he graduated in 1989 and at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, where he obtained his master's degree in International Commercial Arbitration and ADR in 1994. He was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1992 and in 1996, as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.

International legal career

In March 2001 at the age 35, he was appointed senior trial attorney and lead counsel at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, leading teams of international lawyers in the prosecution of persons involved in the 1994 Rwandan genocide in which an estimated 800,000 civilians were killed.

His work on behalf of the victims and survivors of the 1994 Rwandan genocide has been the subject of several books including-- "Le Tribunal des vaincus: UN Nuremberg pour le Rwanda?" (the court of the defeated) by Thierry Cruvellier, and annotated leading cases of international criminal tribunals. He also appears in a documentary film entitled Towards Reconciliation, Produced by the United Nations in 2004.

The genocide trial which he led between 2001 and 2002 against Pastor Elizaphan Ntakirutimana—the leader of the Seventh Day Adventist Church who was transferred to the UN Court from the United States, was the subject of a book written by the American author Philip Gourevitch entitled "we wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families".

He also led the trial against serial rapist Mikaeli Muhimana involving charges of sexual violence and cruelty against women between 2004 and 2005. The Muhimana case clarified and developed the jurisprudence of the international criminal tribunals on the legal elements and definition of the crime of rape in the context of large scale and widespread international crimes.

Having led complex plea negotiations in the Vincent Rutaganira – Paul Bisengimana trials between 2004 and 2007—resulting in guilty pleas to serious violations of international humanitarian law, Adeogun-Phillips is one of the few international litigation lawyers in the world who have contributed to the development and practice of guilty plea negotiations in the context of large-scale international crimes.

In addition, between 17 June and 2 October 2009, he led a team of international prosecutors the retrial of Tharcisse Muvunyi on the charges of direct and public incitement to commit genocide. He had led the original trial in the said case between 28 February 2005 and 23 June 2006 following which the defendant was convicted. On 29 August 2008, the Appeals Chamber reversed all the convictions against the defendant and ordered a retrial on the charge of direct and public incitement to commit genocide. The retrial in the Muvunyi case in 2009 was the first of its kind before any of the international tribunals....

Charles joined the United Nations Organization as a lawyer in January 1998 following several years of legal practice in London and Lagos.
Since commencing his practice as an international litigation lawyer over a decade ago, he has to date prosecuted twelve genocide trials before an international court, ten of which he led successfully as senior trial attorney and lead counsel. Read the rest here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_A._Adeogun-Phillips

sarrki:





Booking space & you blame our leaders of incompetency

On nairaland you can't even make a statement instantly

Keneking:
Great decision

Stalwert:
We mean businesss criminals must bow

OZAOEKPE:
Atiku for 2019.........

OZAOEKPE:
Atiku for 2019.........

Keneking:
Great decision

laudate:
Why has the federal govt chosen an international lawyer to prosecute this case when there are tons of SANs and other lawyers on our shores who could do the job?

morbeta:
Buhari should have at the back of his mind that no miracle will bring him back to power come 2019. So whatever hour is doing now, he should stay off staining his hands cos that whole nation will call for his head on the plate.

He should start preparing a clean slate for himself.

apriko:
No be court case we go chop plz buhari try and put the same energy in reviving the economy......#call me when they are convicted!