A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Adewale Oshodi, on Monday, narrated how Federal High Court judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, used the address of an uncompleted building to open a corporate account for her company, Nigel and Colive.
Oshodi, who was testifying on a 30-count criminal and fraud charges brought against Ajumogobia and a former EFCC prosecutor, Godwin Obla, told the court that Ajumogobia had approached a new generation bank, where he is an account officer, requesting that a corporate account be opened for the company.
“For opening the corporate account, it was mandatory that we verify the address of the company. When we visited the address at 18, Layi Bende Street, Fajuyi Estate, we discovered that the building was still under construction.
“We opened the corporate account for the company in good faith, because of the defendant’s position as a Federal High Court judge and also because the property belongs to her,” Oshodi said.
The witness further told the court that as Ajumogobia’s account officer, he helped her to manage her account, 00299288474, 003209118, domiciled in the bank,” he said.
He further stated that he made cash deposits in Ajumogobia’s accounts, shuttling between her chambers at Oyinkan Abayomi Drive and her house.
Oshodi also recalled that sometimes in May, 2015, he collected $120,000 from Ajumogobia, who directed him to deposit $10,000 weekly in her domicilliary account for a period of 12 weeks..
The witness also recalled that Ajumogobia also sent one Alhaji with $20,000 to help deposit in her account.
“She normally calls me if she needed assistance in converting naira to dollar. I either go her chambers or her house to pick up the cash.
“I also fill the bank tellers on her behalf and the money would be credited to her account. On May 3, 2015, she gave me $10,000 in her office, which I helped transfer to a company, Silver Steps Incorporated, in the United Kingdom,” he said.
Earlier before the witness was led in evidence by EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Jacobs, counsel for Ajumogobia, Olawale Akonni, had asked for an adjournment, informing the court of a pending application asking the EFCC to provide some documents in relation to the case.
“My lord, we need to have those documents, in order to have a clearer picture of the whole case, Akonni told the court.
The presiding judge, Justice Hakeem Oshodi, however, adjourned the matter till January 30 for continuation of trial and hearing of the pending application.
The EFCC had arraigned Ajumogobia and Obla on a 30-count charge bordering on fraud and giving and receiving of bribe.
Specifically, Obla, was charged with additional two-count charge of offering gratification in the sum of N5 million to Ofili-Ajumogobia, a public official, while carrying out her duties as a judge.
Ofili-Ajumogobia is, however, facing a 26-count charge of unlawful enrichment, corruption by a public officer, forgery and giving false information to an official of the EFCC. The accused persons both denied all the charges.
The EFCC alleges that between 2012 and 2015, Ajumogobia received a total of $788,000 from various sources into her Diamond Bank account number 0032091183.
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