Justice Ademola plans to spend N54m on Lagos property – witness

The sixteen prosecution witness (PW16) Babatunde Adepoju in the ongoing joint trial of Justice Ademola; his wife, Olabowale; and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Joe Agi (SAN), on Monday told the court how Justice Ademola planned to spend the money recovered from his official residence by operatives of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) in October last year.

The‎ prosecution had earlier in the course of the trial tendered the sums of N54m; $171,779; €4,400; £80 and R1,010 (Indian rupees) on October 7, 2016 said to be recovered from the house of the Judge of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.

Other items tendered through the prosecution witness included, two Avar Magnum Pump Action gun, bearing the names of Justice Ademola and another judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice Ahmed Mohammed.
The guns were accompanied with original copies and photocopies of the licenses bearing Justices Ademola and Mohmammed’s names.

Babatunde Adepoju, an investigator with the DSS, who investigated Justice Ademola revealed in his evidence-in-chief yesterday that during interrogation at the DSS headquarters, Abuja on October 9, 2016, the judge admitted ownership of the N54m recovered at his apartment, explaining that the money was earmarked for construction works at one of his properties at No. 55 Oduduwa Crescent, Ikeja G.R.A, Lagos.

The said the money, according to the witness, was for onward delivery to a construction firm, Dadks Concepts, which Justice Ademola claimed was carrying out the major reconstruction works.

In addition, the witness disclosed that ‎ Justice Ademola also explained that the $171,799 recovered at his residence were accumulated estacodes, family, and withdrawals from his personal account as upkeep money meant for two of his children in the United Kingdom.

Adepoju narrated how he was assigned to be in charge of the investigation of Justice Ademola on allegations of misuse of judicial powers, corrupt practices and bribe taking.

He disclosed that he got to know the judge at his office at the DSS Headquaters after the execution of a search warrant at the official residence of the judge at 32 Samuel Ogbemudia Crescent in Abuja in October 9, 2016.
He said the search on Justice Ademola’ official residence led to the recovery of incriminating materials including the recovery of two rifles from the house of the Judge.

‎The witness said a ‘ballistician’ was consulted on the two rifles recovered at Justice Ademola’s house and from his report, he was able to find that the weapons were not mere metals but fall under category of prohibited firearms and could only be licensed at the discretion of the President of Nigeria.

Also on the firearms, the witness said he also interviewed Justice A.R. Mohammed to confirm the veracity of Justice Ademola’s claim that he owns the weapon and Justice A.R. Mohammed, in his response, denied ownership of the weapon.

The riffles, he said bearing his name is licensed, the other bearing Justice A.R. Mohammed. He said men from British High Commission and DSS advised that some of the Judges should procure firearms, based on the sensitivity of their duties as sitting Judges.

He admitted ownership of one of the riffles saying the one bearing A.R. Mohammed belongs to his fellow Judge. These weapons had 35& 36. He explained that the weapons where supplied by a licensed gun dealer Humanities Ltd. office in Lagos and Wariri.

“I examined the riffles and they bear expiration date. Nov. 2015. Both riffles have same expiry date.
He explained that he was going to furnish me with the renewal. But he has not done that. We ended the session when he said he was tired.

“I queried further to know why he was in possession of the 2nd firearms, he responded that on two occasions, Justice Mohammed, the supposed owner made efforts to collect it from him but he was out of station.

That thereafter, he was involved in a car accident. He said it would have been insensitive of him to ask Justice A. R. Mohammed to come for the rifle, given his condition.

According to the witness, “When the allegations of Justice Ademola collecting bribe in the early stages of cases involving former NSA, Dasuki, and case of Nnamdi Kanu, (IPOB) and my duty was to conduct follow up investigation as regards the monetary recovery of money in his official residence of N54m.

” His response in respect of the appointment of his wife as HOS, Lagos State, he denied any association with Senator Bola AhmedTinubu who was claimed to have influenced her appointment. He said his wife was the most senior perm sec as at the time of her appointment.

” On the allegations of $200 bribe, he asserted that the petitioners Jenkins had after submitting his petition to NJC came back to apologise to him claiming that he was misinformed, by counsel to Delta State govt. That the petitioners sworn to an affidavit to which he withdrew his petition.

“On bribe taking, from Kanu and Dasuki, Ademola responded that when the defence submitted their bail applications, there was no counter affidavit from the prosecution team. That according to them, the matter should be left at the discretion of the court.

“As regards Kanu’s case, Ademola denied receiving any bribe. He said the case was earlier discharged at the Magistrates court, and after the case was brought to him, counsel to DSS, Moses Idako, requested for his stay in custody for 90 days and after the expiration of the 90 days, he felt there was no need to keep him.

On the money recovered in his apartment, he admitted the ownership of the money. He said they were conversions from foreign currencies to naira, withdrawals from his personal account, for onward transfers to a construction company for him.

‎Meanwhile, the court admitted in evidence, the DVD recording of Justice Ademola’s interview at the DSS as well as his written statement.