Delta Govt Paid N15m Into Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia Account- EFCC Witness
This information was part of the testimony of third prosecution witness, Uchenna Okaranwolu, a former banker at Access Bank Plc where he claimed to have managed Justice Ajumogobia’s accounts as her account officer.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia and Obla on a 30-count charge of conspiracy to pervert justice by allegedly giving and receiving a bribe of N5 million.
The EFCC had also alleged that about $793,800 passed through the Justice Ajumogobia’s domiciliary accounts between 2012 and 2015 and that she allegedly used the money to buy a house in London.
The two accounts, Access Bank (0002649223) and Diamond Bank (0032091183) have since been frozen by the EFCC.
Five of the charges are centered on an alleged N5m bribe given to the judge by the senior advocate while the remaining 26 charges are on the huge amounts that passed through the accounts of Ofili-Ajumogobia and her alleged inability to explain her source of wealth.
The other charges filed against the judge border on forgery, lying, unlawful enrichment and other related offenses.
They both pleaded not guilty to the charge.
While being led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, Okaranwolu gave a detailed description of how various sums of money were deposited into the judge’s bank account with Access Bank Plc.
The witness told the trial judge, Justice Hakeem Oshodi that, “On Aug. 5, 2011 an Oceanic bank cheque from the Delta state government for N15million was paid into Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia’s account.
“On March 23, 2010 I mass a cash deposit of N1.5million into her account, on July 20, 2010 I deposited an Afribank cheque of N7million into her account, on Aug. 29, 2011 a Zenith Bank cheque of N9million from government house was paid into her account,” he said.
Okaranwolu also explained his relationship with the judge, “I know the first defendant in this case, she is the customer of the bank and I was her account officer from 2008 to 2009 and 2011 and 2012.”
The witness further testified that he paid in money in US dollars on behalf of the judge into US dollar credit card account as well as other lodgment in naira into her naira account.
“I sometimes ran some errands for Justice Ajumogobia, she sometimes wrote cheques in my name to withdraw money from her account on her when she could not stand in the banking hall because of the long queues,” he said.
Okaranwolu while being guided by Oyedepo, read aloud, details of Ofili-Ajumogobia’s credit card account with the bank where deposits ranging from $500 to $49,000 amounting to over $650,000 were paid into the account over a six-year period.
“On May 7, 2008 $20,000 was paid into the account by one Ken Mozia, on June 20, 2008 $49,000 was paid into the account by one Donald Ofili, on Aug. 25, 2008 $500 was paid into the account by the judge,” he said.
Okaranwolu told the court that he received the funds from the judge at either her home or the banking hall of the branch of Access Bank where he worked.
“Our meeting point was usually the banking hall or at one of her homes which included an apartment in Military St., Onikan, a home in an estate in Lekki or the Judges Quarters on Glover Road, Ikoyi.” he said .
Earlier during the trial, a bureau de change operative, Mr. Said Abba narrated to the court how he helped the judge and her Diamond Bank Account officer, Mr. Ademola Oshodi.
“Oshodi calls me sometimes to pay cash and transfer money into Ajumogobia’s account in which I get the dollar equivalent.
“If I pay dollars to him I get cash in naira or naira is transferred into my account,” Said said.
However, on cross-examination by Mr. Olawole Akoni (SAN), Ofili-Ajumogobia’s counsel, he admitted never meeting the judge.
“I don’t know Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, Oshodi never told me where he got the money from and whenever I met Demola, I dealt with him in the bank,” he said.
Justice Hakeem Oshodi adjourned the case to April 28 for continuation of trial.