FG slams charges against Justice Ademola, wife

A month and six days after operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) carried out a sting operation, leading to the arrest of some senior judicial officers, charges were formally filed against one of the judges, Justice Francis Adeniyi Ademola, in Abuja on Monday.
A 15-count criminal charge was filed against Justice Ademola, a serving Judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja by the Federal Government.
Charges were also filed against his wife, Mrs. Olabowale Toluwatope Ademola.
The charge, filed at the registry of an Abuja High Court, was signed by Hajara Yusuf, a Principal State Counsel.
According to the charge, the defendants allegedly received N30 million from Messrs Joe Odey Agi Associates between 11th and 26th March 2015 and another N40 million between 20th and 21st February, 2014.
The alleged offence was said to have been committed between February, 2014 and June, 2016, contrary to Section 8 of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission Act , 2011 and Section 115 of the Penal Code Law .
Specifically, Justice Ademola was alleged to have received N30 million from Messrs Joe Agi Associates between 11th and 26 March 2015 and his wife also received N30 million from Messrs Joe Agi Associates.
According to the prosecution, Justice Ademola, on May 6, 2013 received $520,000 from Messrs Johnson & Johnson Solicitors and another N6 million between 25th of February and 16th April, 2015 from Messrs Johnson & Johnson Solicitors.
Justice Ademola was also alleged to have accepted N55,650, 000 from Messrs G.T. J Ademola & Co between 5th January and 23rd June, 2016.
It was further alleged that Justice Ademola on 20th February, 2014 accepted N40 million from Vertice Solutions Ltd as well as accepting another N47.6 million from Acardian Energy Services Ltd .
The prosecution further alleged that Justice Ademola, on February 20, 2014, accepted N34 million from Omotayo Babafemi Aliyu and N4.7 million from Lawan Sulaiman between 21st February and 7th November, 2014.
The judge was also alleged to have accepted N30 million from Messrs Joe Odey Agi Associates between 20th and 21st February, 2014.
No date has been fixed for trial as the case is yet to be assigned to a Judge.