Corruption Charges: Arraignment Of Justice Yinusa Stalled

The planned arraignment of a dismissed judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Mohammed Yinusa failed to go on at the Lagos High Court Sitting in Ikeja today.

A Registrar of the court told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) that Justice Mojisola Dada would not be hearing the case and had, in fact, sent the case file back to the Chief Judge of Lagos for re-assignment to another judge.

No reason was given for this development.

It was gathered that Justice Dada is the second judge to decline on hearing the case.

The first is Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye.

Despite the arraignment being stalled, Justice Yinusa was present in court but left immediately he heard that the matter would not go on. His co-defendant, Esther Agbo, a staff of the Law Firm of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Rickey Tarfa was however absent in court.

Journalists obtained a copy of the five count charge sheet.

In the first Count, Justice Yinusa is charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by engaging in constant private and confidential telephone communications with Mr Rickey Tarfa, SAN during a period he presided over two of the Senior advocate’s matter.

In the second count, Justice Yinusa is charged with corruption for allegedly receiving the sum of N1.5millio paid to him by his co-defendant, Esther Agbo in other to give decisions in favour of the Chambers of the Law Firm of Rickey Tarfa.

In the third count, Justice Yinusa is charged with agreeing to receive financial benefit from another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Joseph Nwobike in other to give favourable decisions in the cases of the said lawyer before him.

In count four, the EFCC alleged that Justice Yinusa received the sum of N750,000 from Mr Nwobike and in the fifth charge, Esther Agbo is charged with offering gratification of NI.5m to Justice Yinusa in order to induce him to give decisions in favour of the Law Chambers of Rickey Tarfa.