BREAKING NEWS:
Nigerian Serving Federal Judge, HYELADZIRA NGANJIWA Arrested for STEALING $260,000 and N8,650,000 CASH…Arraigned before Justice A.A. Akintoye of the Lagos State High Court
* ‘The judge attached to Bayelsa Division of the Federal High Court being prosecuted on a 14 count charge for unlawful enrichment to the tune of $260,000 and N8,650,000’-Nigeria’s anti graft agency, EFCC
* Case was adjourned till October 6 and 10
CORRUPTION is Nigeria’s greatest enemy working against development of infrastructure and quality life provision for Africa’s most populous nation. Even in Africa’s most populous black nation judiciary, justice is seeing at times to be bias whenever shades of ‘back-door settlement’ or ‘quid pro quo’-a favor or advantage granted or expected in return for something are involved. Corruption is not immuned to Nigerian judges, as Hyeladzira Nganjiwa, the judge attached to the Bayelsa Division of the Federal High Court, had been arrested and arraigned on a 14 count charge for stealing a whooping sum of N99,650,000.
Nigeria’s apex anti-corruption agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) burst this corruption nest and arraigned yesterday, Friday, June 23 before Justice A.A. Akintoye of the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere.
Nganjiwa, a serving judge of the Federal High Court, was on Friday, June 23 arraigned by EFCC for alleged unlawful enrichment to the tune of $260,000 and N8,650,000. His arraignment followed the dismissal of a preliminary objection he filed to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to try him. He denied the charges.
However, the prosecution said that despite being a serving judge, Mr Nganjiwa had no immunity from criminal prosecution.
Mr Oyedepo the prosecuting counsel said: “I therefore urge this court to dismiss the preliminary objection and order Justice Nganjiwa to proceed into the dock for his arraignment.” In her ruling the judge, Mrs Akintoye, upheld Mr Oyedepo’s argument and dismissed Justice Nganjiwa’s preliminary objection.
She directed the accused judge to deposit his passport in the custody of the Chief Registrar of the Lagos State High Court within seven days or that the EFCC should deposit same if the passport was still in its custody. Thereafter adjourned till October 6 and 10 for commencement of trial.
It would be recalled that it was earlier reported that the Special Assistant to the President on prosecution, Okoi Obono-Obla revealed the next step the federal government will take concerning the judges earlier dragged to court for alleged corruption. Obono-Obla stated that one of the judges recently recalled from suspension by the National Judicial Council will be charged this week with offences bordering on receiving gratification from lawyers.
We are closely monitoring this development and will keep you informed.
