Alleged N81.7m Bribe: Court dismissed application to stall matter

A Lagos High Court, Igbosere on Friday dismissed an application brought by Justice Hyeladzira Ajiya Nganjiwa, seeking to stay proceedings in his trial over alleged unlawful enrichment.

Justice Adedayo Akintoye ruled that the application by the defendant who is a Judge at the Federal High Court, Bayelsa Division, was unmeritorious.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had proffered corruption charge against the Judge.

He is standing trial for allegedly receiving $260,000 and N8.65 million totalling N81, 705, 000 as bribe.

When the matter came up yesterday, Chief Robert Clarke SAN, Nganjiwa’s lawyer, moved a motion urging the court to stay proceedings in his trial pending the Court of Appeal’s determination of his suit challenging the high court’s jurisdiction to try him.

The application, dated October 4, 2017 was brought pursuant to Sections 6(6) and 36 of the 1999 Constitution (As amended).

“Whatever powers this court possesses is subject to the Constitution….it is an application challenging Your Lordship’s jurisdiction,” Clarke said.

He argued, relying on the Constitution, statutes and case law, that the court was bound to refrain from further action on the case, particularly since, according to him, the appeal was set in motion before the defendant took his not guilty plea.

Clarke said: “As of today, the Court of Appeal is fully seized of this matter. In those days when we were younger, if a lower court disregarded the judgment of a higher court it was called judicial rascality.”

He contended that the application was a Constitutional matter rather than a frivolous one and the issue involved was “a grey area of the law.”

Clarke added: “We urge Your Lordship to err on the side of caution and, in the interest of justice, grant the application.”

But prosecution counsel, Mr Wahab Shittu, who appeared in place of Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, opposed the application, declaring it a time wasting ploy.

Shittu said: “We are strongly opposing this application based on statutory provisions, particularly Section 273 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) of Lagos State, Section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) and Section 40 of the EFCC Act, all of which prohibit the grant of stay of prosecution.

“The application by the learned Silk is incompetent because the law does not allow it. The rationale for this is to forestall the matter. Our courts frown at delay tactics by defence counsel. This application is an attempt to stall proceedings by counsel.

“I urge my lord to dismiss the application and order the prosecution to commence its case.”

Justice Akintoye in a bench ruling upheld the prosecution’s argument.

Relying on the ACJA, ACJL and the EFCC Act, the judge held: “This court is not empowered to entertain any stay of proceedings or deferment of proceedings, however it may be described, in criminal matters.

“The judicial system has moved from delay tactics which may be brought to forestall the hearing of a case…as a result this matter will continue today as we await the outcome of the decision of the esteemed Court of Appeal.”

However, trial could not go on following Clarke’s request for time to study an application for proof of evidence served on the defendant on Thursday, by the prosecution.

He said: “I’m seeing the processes for the first time in this court. I need time to go through them.”

But Justice Akintoye’s offer to stand down the matter for 30 minutes, so the defence could examine the documents, was not taken.

“30 minutes? My lord, I am 80 years old,” Clarke said.

Following consultation with the parties, the judge agreed to “give the defendant the benefit of the doubt.”

Meanwhile the case has been adjourned till November 13.