Discharge, acquit us, FG has no case, Justice Ademola, wife tell court

A Federal High Court Judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, his wife Olubowale as well as Joe Agi (SAN), have prayed a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama, Abuja to discharge and acquit them because the Federal Government has no case against them.

The trio are being jointly prosecuted before Justice Jude Okeke for alleged offense of gratification and other charges the Federal Government levelled against them.

The defence lawyers who took turns to argue their respective no-case submissions on Wednesday, contended that, the Federal Government has been unable, even with its 16 prosecution witnesses and the documentary evidence tendered, to prove the essential elements of the alleged offences.

They therefore asked the court to uphold the defendants’ no-case submissions and go ahead to discharge and acquit them, because the Federal Government had failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendants.

Their prayer was however opposed by the prosecution, led by Mr. Segun Jegede, who prayed the court to dismiss the defendants’ respective no-case submissions and asked them to open their defence.

Jegede maintained that a sufficient link had already been recognised between the defendants and the crimes they were accused of committing; adding that what is needed now is the defendants’ explanations.

The trial judge, Justice Okeke, fixed April 5 for his ruling on the no-case submissions after listening to all parties.

The Federal Government had levelled 18-count charge against the defendants, among which was that on January 5, 2015, Justice Ademola in his capacity as a public servant, “corruptly received” from Agi, a BMW saloon 320i valued at N8,500,000.

He was said to have received the car through his son, Ademide Ademola, as gratification in the exercise of his official functions as a judge of the Federal High Court.

The Federal Government also accused the judge in five other counts, of receiving through his wife, Olubowale, gratification of N30million in three instalments of N10million each from Agi between March 11 and March 26, 2015.