Another Senior Advocate of Nigeria
(SAN), Dr Joseph Nwobike, paid N750,000 into the account of Justice Mohammed
Yunusa of the Federal High Court, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) alleged yesterday.
The
allegation is contained in a counter-affidavit filed in opposition to a further
and better affidavit filed by Rickey Tarfa (SAN).
Justice
Mohammed Idris yesterday ruled that Tarfa could adduce new evidence through the
further affidavit deposed to by a lawyer, Mohammed Awwal Yunusa.
In
the further and better affidavit, the lawyer said the bank account, which EFCC
said Tarfa used to bribe Justice Yunusa, belongs to him, and not to Justice
Yunusa as EFCC alleged in its counter-affidavit to Tarfa’s suit.
The
lawyer said Tarfa gave him N225,000 on January 7, 2014 to help finance his
masters in Law degree.
But
EFCC has alleged that Tarfa was not the only SAN to pay money to Justice
Yunusa’s account.
An
EFCC operative, Moses Awolusi, said there were new revelations about judges
being allegedly induced through “a network of senior lawyers”.
“Investigation
has also shown that as part of this chain of fraud, Mr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN)
also transferred the sum of N300,000 to Hon. Justice H.A Nganjiwa.
“Investigations
further revealed that Hon Justice M.N Yunusa as part of this scheme of fraud
also received the sum of N750,000 from Mr. Joseph Nwobike SAN and Co,” the EFCC
investigator said.
But
Nwobike, in a statement to the anti-graft agency, which was also attached to
the affidavit, explained that the money was not meant to bribe the judge.
He
said it was the judge who asked him for financial assistance in respect of his
mother who was undergoing dialysis due to failing kidney.