The ongoing
trial of Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, before Justice
Raliat Adebiyi of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja continued Friday,
July 21, 2017, with the
prosecution
confronting him with various text messages he sent to a court official in order
to influence the cases he was handling.
Nwobike is
being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on 11
counts bordering on perverting the court of justice and offering gratification
to public officials.
One of the
counts reads: “That you Nwobike, on the 19th day of March 2015 in Lagos, within
the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, intentionally gave the sum of N750,
000 to Hon. Justice Mohammed Nasir
Yunusa of
the Federal High Court directly through your United Bank for Africa Plc Account
No.1002664061 in order that the said Judge acts in the exercise of his official
duties.
Another
count reads: “That on the 28th day of September 2015 in Lagos within the
jurisdiction, you intentionally gave the sum of N300, 000 to Justice Mohammed
Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court
indirectly
through Awa Ajia Nigeria Limited’s account No. 0000971931 domiciled in Access
Bank Plc, belonging to Hon. Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal
High Court, in order that the Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa acts in the
exercise of his official duties.”
At the
resumed hearing today, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, tendered a
compact disc marked exhibit P21 containing text messages from Nwobike's mobile
phone to a court official.
In the
compact disk, which was played on a projector mounted within the court room,
Oyedepo told the court how Nwobike had sent text messages, at various times, to
one Jide, a Deputy Registrar of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
He told the
court that Nwobike admitted having received and read a message from Jide on
September 23, 2014, saying, "Kuya may not resume yet".
Oyedepo also
told the court that Nwobike admitted having sent another text message to Mr.
Jide, saying, "Suit No
FHC/L/CS/1133/2014: (1) Dana Group of Companies Plc (2) Dana Drugs Ltd (3) Dana
Impex Ltd Vs
(1) Sterling
Bank Plc (2) Mr. Kunle Ogunba, SAN (3) Corporate Affairs Commission (4) Chief
Registrar of Tiles, Lagos State. IDRIS"
In his
response, Nwobike claimed that he knew Jide works at the Federal High Court in
an administrative capacity.
Nwobike also
confirmed that though he had appeared before Justice Kuya, he has never seen
Jide call cases in his( Kuya) court.
“I cannot
say that some of the matters he filed on September 23, 2014 were assigned to
Justice Yinusa.
“I can’t really say which judge presided over
all these suits, but the one Kunle Ogunba, SAN, filed went to Justice
Yinusa," he told the court.
Also,
Nwobike confirmed that he sent a text message, which read. “Please, help me”,
to Jide on June 30, 2014 in a suit: "FHC/L/CS/1009/14 Lanre Olaoluwa and
Federal Ministry of Power and Steel. Yinusa J very well (sic)".
The learned
silk further confirmed to the court that on June 30, 2014, his chambers paid
the sum of N56, 040 (Fifty-six Thousand, Forty Naira) for filing the suit,
which was assigned to Justice Yinusa.
When asked
if he knew Justice Yinusa’s signature, he answered in the affirmative, saying,
“I am familiar with Justice Yinusa’s signature because he had signed different
judgments.”
The
defendant also confirmed that he forwarded another text message to Jide on July
9, 2014, where he wrote: “NESTLE VS FIRS
FHC/L/CS/940/201 Yinusa. Thanks".
Oyedepo
further told the court about a number of suits that the defendant confirmed to
have emanated from his chambers.
According to
him, “On June 26, 2014, he sent the details of a suit to Mr. Jide, who replied
that “940/14 is already there. I did it
last week"
Oyedepo told
the court that Nwobike sent another text message to Jide, where he wrote: “Suit
No. FHC/L/CS/347/14 between Professor Emmanuel Adegbeyeni & 6 Ors Vs Mr.
Biodun Agbaje & 15 Ors (sic)”.
“It was eventually assigned to Justice
Yinusa,” Oyedepo added.
In his
response, Nwobike told the court that he had no relationship with Justice
Yinusa, adding that “I have never been his very close friend or very close
enemy.”
Oyedepo also
told the court that Nwobike received a text message from Jide on November 3,
2013, where he ( Jide) said: "Remind me about this case tomorrow morning
FHC/I/CS/960/13" to which Nwobike replied: "Thanks, my dear brother.
I will do that."
According to saharareporters the
prosecution also mentioned that Nwobike had, on November 1, 2013, sent a text
to Jide, saying, “Premier Plant Leasing Nig Ltd Vs Diamond Suit No
FHC/CS/960/2013 writ dated and filed on 9th July 2013 Kurya please my Bro.
Nwobike".
“It was also
assigned to Justice Kurya,” Oyedepo told the court.
Justice
Raliatu Adebiyi adjourned the case to July 26, 2017 for the continuation of
trial.
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