The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is set to charge suspended Federal
High Court judge, Justice Mohammed Yunusa, who the National Judicial Commission
recently recommended for retirement.
The
EFCC had, in February, lodged a complaint of alleged misconduct against Yunusa
before the NJC.
Yunusa
first became the subject of an EFCC investigation when the commission was
investigating a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Rickey Tarfa, who is on trial
for allegedly offering gratification to a public official.
The
EFCC also stated that from its investigations, Tarfa’s law firm, Rickey Tarfa
& Co., with Access Bank account number 0000964760, paid N225,000 into
Justice Yunusa’s bank account.
The
commission had further alleged that “the N225, 000 was accepted and
acknowledged by Justice Yunusa in a text message to Tarfa wherein he said,
“Thank you my senior advocate.”
However,
Tarfa stated in an affidavit he filed before a Federal High Court in Lagos,
that the money was a contribution by some friends of Justice Yunusa towards the
funeral rites of his father-in-law, Audi Damasa.
Apart
from the Tarfa case, the NJC also received two petitions against the judge in
respect of some matters – Honeywell v ECOBANK and Sterling Bank v Joma Frozen
Foods Product Limited.
The
judge was also reportedly sanctioned for his decision to grant an interlocutory
injunction stopping the EFCC from investigating and arresting Senator Stella
Oduah, a former Minister of Aviation, who was accused of embezzlement of public
funds and acts of fraud in contracts.
In
a petition by Civil Society Network Against Corruption, the group accused the
judge of consistent refusal to abide by judicial precedents laid down by the
apex court in granting orders and injunctions against the EFCC.
It
listed some of the cases concerned as FHC/L/CS/1471/2015 Mr. Simon John
Adonmene & 3ors v the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission filed on
September 21, 2015; FHC/L/CS/487/14 – FRN v. Michael Adenuga;
FHC/L/CS/1342/15. Senator Stella Oduah v. AG Federation, EFCC, ICPC and IGP;
FHC/L/CS/1285/15 – Jyde Adelakun & Anor v. Chairman, EFCC & Anor;
FHC/L/CS/1445/15 – Dr. Martins Oluwafemi Thomas v. EFCC; FHC/L/CS/1269/15 –
Honourable Shamsudeen Abogu v. EFCC & Ors; and FHC/L/CS/1012/15 – Hon.
Teeth Dauzia Loya v. EFCC.
A
reliable source at the anti-graft agency hailed the decision of the NJC
recommending Yunusa for retirement.
A
detective, who did not want his name in print said, “We are already prosecuting
Tarfa for bribing a judge. It therefore follows that the judge must be
prosecuted for allegedly receiving a bribe.
“Now
that the judge has been retired, we will have the freedom to even carry out
further investigations and look into some of the cases that he handled. We
might even reopen some of the cases that he threw out.
“It
will also boost our case against Tarfa, which is currently in court. This is a
welcome development and a victory for the anti-graft war.”
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