NAN-H-17
Agbadu-fishim
By Moji Eniola
Lagos, July 10, 2017 (NAN) The absence of Justice James Agbadu-fishim of the National Industrial Court (NIC) and his lawyer on Monday stalled his arraignment at an Ikeja High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges of unlawful enrichment.
When the defendant was called for arraignment before Justice Raliatu Adebiyi neither Agbadu-fishim nor his lawyers were present in court.
Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, Counsel for the EFCC, told the court that the judge was yet to report to the office of the anti-graft agency.
“The defendant is yet to report to our office; we have written to the President of the National Industrial Court, requesting for him to report to our office to receive our charges.
“We will be asking for a short date, My Lord, for him to be arraigned,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Judicial Council (NJC) had on June 2 recalled Agbadu-fishim and five other judges from suspension.
Eight judges were suspended in November 2016, following raids on their homes by the Department of State Security (DSS).
They include Agbadu-fishim, John Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court, Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court, Uwani Aji of the Court of Appeal and Hydiazira Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court.
Others are Musa H. Kurya of the Federal High Court, Jos, Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court.
All the judges except Ngwuta and Ofili-Ajumogobia, who are both currently facing corruption trial, were recalled by the NJC.
The NJC had said the reason for the their recall was the “huge backlog of cases” in their courts.
The judicial body noted that only Ademola, Ngwuta and Ofili-Ajumogobia had been charged to court, emphasising that Ademola had been discharged and acquitted of the charges filed against him.
Justice Adebiyi adjourned until July 12 for Agbadu-fishim’s arraignment. (NAN)
MAE/FLP/DA
===========
(Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Dele Akinsola)