The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) over alleged misconduct of three judges.
The judges are, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa and Justice Agbadu Fishim. The three are facing trial in different courts.
In a letter dated January 5, 2018, the EFCC asked the NJC to take disciplinary action against them.
The petition may have become necessary following a judgment by the Court of Appeal last December in Justice Ngajiwa corruption case that the EFCC lacks powers to investigate or prosecute serving judicial officers, except where such officers have been dismissed by the NJC. The court then struck out the case.
Though the EFCC challenged the ruling at the Supreme Court, it has decided to also write to the NJC to be be on the safe side in future corruption cases against serving judges.
Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia is facing 26 charges before a Lagos State High Court bordering on unlawful enrichment, corruption, forgery and giving false information to an official of the EFCC.
While the EFCC accuse Justice Fishim of receiving an aggregate of N3.5m from seven Senior Advocates of Nigeria, one other Lagos-based lawyer and one law firm between 2013 and 2015. The money, the EFCC claimed, was allegedly paid into the judge’s First Bank account with number 3008199491.
Justice Fishim received a total of N1.15m from Chief Felix Fagbohungbe (SAN) between December 5, 2013 and February 26, 2015, the anti graft agency claimed.
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