Five
Nigerian High Court judges are the subjects of extensive corruption
probes by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The five justices identified as the targets of the corruption investigation according to SaharReporters are Abdul Kafarati, Gladys Olotu, Aliyu Liman, Ibironke Harrison, and Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia.
In
addition, sources at the EFCC said that Justice Chioma Nwosu- Iheme of
the Federal Court of Appeal and a former Chief Judge of Lagos State,
Inumidun Akande, are also caught in the cross-hairs of the
investigations into what one source described as “mindboggling
corruption in the judiciary.”
A case file
revealed that Justice Abdul Kafarati owns huge cash assets in several
bank accounts, including one at Diamond Bank. In addition, he reportedly
owns properties, shares and farmlands in Kwami in Gombe State.
Gladys
Olotu, also a judge of the Federal High Court, is being investigated
for owning several accounts in Guaranty Trust Bank, Access Bank, First
Bank (United Kingdom), as well as significant stock in various
companies. She is also reported to own several properties in Abuja,
Lagos and Benin. A source said Ms. Olotu is believed to be worth more
than N2 billion in cash, going by findings by EFCC and other
investigators.
Justice Aliyu M. Liman is being investigated for
owning various naira and domiciliary accounts, shares and properties in
the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Kaduna States.
Justice
Ofili-Ajumogobia reportedly owns an apartment in London, with a
high-priced Mercedes Benz car parked on the property for her use
whenever she visits the UK.
According to our EFCC sources,
Justice Iheme-Nwosu has accumulated so much unexplained wealth that she
was able to buy the Concorde Hotel in Owerri, the Imo State capital, as
well as a mansion-like residence built near Concorde Hotel and
reportedly worth N500 million.
Our sources said that the
investigation into Justice Ibironke Harrison’s questionable assets has
been completed. The probe focused on a property fraud said to be worth
at least N150 million. One source revealed that the fraud was detected
before Ms. Harrison was made a judge, adding that her involvement in the
illicit scheme had been established to a high degree of certainty. “We
are confident that we can make a case for her guilt beyond any
reasonable doubt,” one judicial source familiar with her file told
SaharaReporters.
SaharaReporters also learnt that the
investigation of former Chief Judge of Lagos, Inumidun Akande, had also
been completed. The fraud case relates to the judge’s diversion of
massive amounts of funds meant for the Lagos judiciary during her tenure
as chief judge. She is also accused of enriching herself to the tune of
N700 million from funds stolen from the Lagos State judiciary.
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