By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA — The Federal Government, yesterday, docked Justice Ademola Adeniyi and his wife, Olabowale, before an Abuja High Court at Maitama on an 11-count criminal charge.

Justice Ademola, who served under the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court before he was asked to temporarily step down from the bench by the National Judicial Council, NJC, was alleged to have on various dates, between 2014 and 2015, received huge sums of money as gratifications.

Trial Justice Jude Okeke granted the defendants bail on self-recognition to the tune of N50 million each, shortly after they took turns and pleaded not guilty to charges levelled against them by government.

The judge further ordered the defendants to surrender their international passports to the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court, pending hearing and determination of the charge against them.

The defendants, however, begged the court to give them seven days within which to deposit their passports, a request that accordingly granted.

The court subsequently fixed January 18 to commence full-blown hearing on the matter, just as it directed the prosecution to furnish the defendants with copies of the their statements which it intends to rely on in the course of the trial.

Charges

The defendants were, among other things, accused of receiving a car worth N8.5 million as gratification from a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Joe Agi, as well as, having in his possession, two rifles that were not validly registered.

Specifically, Federal Government alleged that Justice Ademola and his wife conspired and also received N30 million gratification from Joe Agi and Associates between March 11 and March 26, 2015.

It further accused Ademola of “dealing with property subject matter of an offence”, by transferring N85m and N90m, totalling N175m, to Franco Dan Parker on February 24, 2014.

Both offences were said to be contrary to section 24 of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act, 2000, and punishable under the same law.

Defendants plead not guilty

Meanwhile, the defendants, who were represented by two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu and Chief Robert Clarke, pleaded innocence to the allegations, even as they urged the court to grant them bail on self-recognition.

The duo, via separate bail applications dated December 8 and predicated on Sections 138, 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and Sections 35 (4) and 36 (5) of the 1999 constitution, expressed their readiness to sign an undertaking before the court to always be available for their trial.

Earlier, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Shegu Jegede, said he would not oppose their bail requests

“My lord we are not opposed to this application. Given the circumstances of this case, particularly the standing of the defendants and the rapidly impending Christmas.

“However, I apply that your lordship impose such sanctions that will make the defendants to attend trial as required. In doing that, I will call your lordship’s attention to section 162 of the ACJA.”