By Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation


The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is extending the war against corruption in the judicial arm to the bar.

It has invited eight Senior Advocates of Nigeria( SANs) for interrogation over alleged payments into judges’ accounts.

This is coming three weeks after the Department of State Security (DSS) raided the homes of several judges, including two justices of the Supreme Court, and arrested them for alleged corruption.

But the EFCC,after intercepting test messages, have now extended the scope of the investigation to the bar, summoning eight senior lawyers suspected of corrupting judges.

Four of the SANs have already been questioned by the anti-graft commission.

All the SANs have denied the EFCC allegation.

They said in their written statements to the commission that at no time did they remit money into the account of any judge for the purpose of perverting justice.

EFCC sources said it had uncovered “curious payments” into judges’ accounts by the SANs after screening the call logs and text messages of a SAN.

It was gathered that one of the payments was made into the account of a judge of the National Industrial Court (NIC) who was invited by the EFCC for questioning.

A well-placed EFCC source said: “We have summoned eight judges for interrogation over suspicious payments into judges’ accounts.

“Four of the SANs have made what I may term useful statements on oath at our office in Lagos. We have granted them bail but investigation is still ongoing.

“It is too early to presume them guilty or not until we have concluded the ongoing probe.

“When we analyzed the call logs and text messages of one of the SANs, we retrieved evidence of remittance and text messages acknowledging some payments between him and a judge of the National Industrial Court( NIC).

“The affected judge was invited for interrogation during the week. We are still forging ahead with our investigation.”

Asked to release the list of the four remaining judges, the source added: “We will let the public know after they have appeared before our team.”

As it stands, security agencies are currently probing six judges and 10 SANs.

Some of the judges had earlier reported to the commission.

Two of the five judges are alleged to have received over N2.75million bribe from two senior lawyers, Rickey Tarfa (SAN) and Joseph Nwobike (SAN).

The EFCC had on March 9, 2016 arraigned Tarfa and Nwobike before Lagos High Court on allegations of bribery and offering gratification to a public official.

“Nwobike and Tarfa are facing criminal prosecution for allegedly offering gratification to Federal High Court judges to refrain them from exercising the duties of their office.

“Subsequent investigation revealed that the two Judges allegedly received sums of money from the two senior lawyers severally.”

The allegations against the two SANs are as follows:

That you Rickey Tarfa SAN on the 29th day of January 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court intentionally gave the sum of N1, 500,000 to Hon. Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal High Court directly from your Zenith Bank Account No. 1002926967 in order that the said judge refrains from acting in the exercise of his official duties.

That you Rickey Tarfa SAN on or about the 15th day of December, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court intentionally gave the sum of N500, 000 to Hon. Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court indirectly through Awa Ajia Nigeria Limited’s account No. 0000971941 domiciled in Access Bank Plc belonging to Hon. Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya in order that Hon. Mohammed Nasir Yunusa refrains from acting in the exercise of his official duties.”

That you Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN) on the 28th day of March 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court intentionally gave the sum of N750,000 to Honourable Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court directly through your United Bank for Africa Account No. 1002664061 in order that the said judge refrains from acting in the exercise of his official duties and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 64 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State No. 11 of 2011.



http://thenationonlineng.net/efcc-summons-eight-sans/

ok

Kill All Corrupt Judges

Bleep all these corruption God knows what! .It's already a vicious cycle.Make policies that will be greatly beneficial to the common man for God's sake.

At the end, it will still be same as it used to be:

Drama continues

Seriously NCAN we suppose dey check names for corrupt people stealing our money instead of coming here to always defend them.

If na one chukwudi wey carry drug or one femi wey steal motorcycles.. All the members of NCAN home and abroad for don full here.

We crucify petty criminals along tribal lines but defend highly placed people that are corrupt without minding where they come from

They are always the ones who patronize the corrupt judges... Lawyers are the problem of this country

Make them come answer quick quick.

E don tey wey dem don dey help politicians short-change us,
disbursing our commonwealth within thier cabals.

This is going to be interesting...when is it going to be the turn of the Police?

Nigeria my country...








A real house of Drama.

I am still surprised Nollywood is yet to tap into the recent drama and release their usual half baked films.

Another media trial again

Nothing will come out of it

na consultation fee dem pay ...

abi to see judge for naija na free?

I hope this JUDICIARY DRAMA will end well, patience Jonathan saga is gradually disappearing, how about Dasuki the money susuki of our time, una go see new stories again next week, subtle tactics to keep Nigerians busy and forget their economic woes.

Even EFCC is kwurupht

Senior Advocacy, and they call their victory the product of been erudite.

They should be checked properly

I am really enjoying this dispensation.
Thank God that am alive to witness this movement.

omofunaab:
Seriously NCAN we suppose dey check names for corrupt people stealing our money instead of coming here to always defend them.

If na one chukwudi wey carry drug or one femi wey steal motorcycles.. All the members of NCAN home and abroad for don full here.

We crucify petty criminals along tribal lines but defend highly placed people that are corrupt without minding where they come from

You are quite right
We give them protection with our silence
As long as you are a big time thief
Nobody cares where you come from
But checking name on tribal lines should be discouraged too

“When we analyzed the call logs and text messages of one of the SANs, we retrieved evidence of remittance and text messages acknowledging some payments between him and a judge of the National Industrial Court( NIC)."...

gbam...judgement day for them

Make una continue to dey summon

A country where lawyers destroy Justice

Unfortunately, Na still them Chukwudi and their IPOD dey defend these thiefs from other tribes!

did you not wonder how their hero, Wike, rose to the defense of one Fulani Muslim guy, in the middle of the night!
While his SAN brother was killed wastefully in his backyard without even calling for justice for him!

omofunaab:
Seriously NCAN we suppose dey check names for corrupt people stealing our money instead of coming here to always defend them.

If na one chukwudi wey carry drug or one femi wey steal motorcycles.. All the members of NCAN home and abroad for don full here.

We crucify petty criminals along tribal lines but defend highly placed people that are corrupt without minding where they come from

Supply their names or...

The body of SAN said they support the DSS so let's see how they dance now

We must thank God for being alive to witness the second coming of Buhari...history..and ..great...history..had been made

corrupt...politicians,..ministers..,and even the...untouchable...military generals...judges..and now.. SANs..have been

arrested and put into the cell ...like the common man...for...corruption charges..No president in nigerian histrory

can dare..try it after...sai baba..because their hands are so dirty and full of blood money...honestly,..the change

we voted for is yielding results...Nigeria was listed as the... .3rd most corrupt country in the world..during the ...Gej ..reign. have

u forgotten the "fantastically-corrupt-leaders"..statement of...britain's...cameron?...we must change that name...God

help BuhARI for this war!...good name is better that corrupt riches..9ja go rise and shine again!