The Federal Government has increased the number of counts filled against a judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, and his wife, Olubolade, following amendment of the gratification charges preferred against them last December.
The charges were increased from nine to 16 while the number of prosecution witnesses was increased to 14.
Also, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Joe Agi, was added to the charge against Justice Ademola and his wife, as being the source of various gratifications to the judge, some of which were allegedly received through the judge’s wife’s bank account making him the third defendant.
Agi was accused of giving N30m and a BMW car worth N8.5m to Justice Ademola as gratification
The three defendants pleaded not guilty to all the 16 counts when read to them before Justice Jude Okeke of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama, Abuja, after an application by the prosecuting counsel, Segun Jegede, for leave to amend the old charges was granted by Justice Okeke.
In the fresh list of witnesses, accompanying the amended charges, the prosecution named 14 witnesses to be called against the three defendants which included the Executive Secretary of the National Judicial Council and the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court.
Also listed are operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), and Five officials of Guaranty Trust Bank and Zenith Bank Plc, and a former Director, Pension Accounts Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Sani Teidi,
The court fixed January 16 (Monday) for the commencement of trial having granted an application by lawyer to the Ademola’s, Chief Solomon Akuna (SAN), to allow Justice Ademola and his wife to continue to enjoy the N100m bail earlier granted them after they were initially arraigned on December 13, 2015.
The judge also granted the bail to Agi in the sum of N50m, which is to be guaranteed by his self-recognisance, following an application by his lawyer, Jeph Njikonye.