By Jerry Uwah, Lagos
A serving judge of the National Industrial Court (NIC), Justice Agbadu Fishim was yesterday arraigned before a Lagos state High Court for unlawful enrichment to the tune of N3.5 million. Th e NIC judge was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 19-count charge before Justice Raliat Adebiyi. In the charge, EFCC alleged that Justice Fishim received an aggregate of N3.5m from seven Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), one other Lagosbased lawyer and one law fi rm between 2013 and 2015.Th e EFCC claimed in the charge sheet that the money was paid into the judge’s First Bank account.
Th e judge, according to the EFCC, allegedly received a total of N1.15m from Chief Felix Fagbohungbe (SAN) between December 5, 2013 and February 26, 2015. He allegedly received a total of N700,000 in multiple tranches from Paul Usoro (SAN) between August 5, 2014 and March 26, 2015. Other SANs, from whom the judge allegedly received money, were Chief Gani Adetola-Kazeem, who gave him N100,000 on February 10, 2015; and Mr. Uche Obi, who gave him N250,000 between October 17 and 20, 2013. Others were Dr. Banire (SAN), who according to the EFCC, gave the judge N500,000 on June 20, 2013;
and Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), who gave him a total of N300,000 in two tranches of N200,000 and N100,000 on June 3, 2013 and February 26, 2015 respectively. Th e EFCC also claimed that Justice Fishim received a total of N250,000 from Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), in tranches of N150,000 and N100,000 on December 12, 2014 and September 10, 2015 respectively; while a Lagosbased lawyer, Enobong Etteh, was said to had transferred N200,000 to the judge on October 27, 2014. A law fi rm, Alliance Law Firm, according to the EFCC, also paid N250,000 into the judge’s account on August 21, 2015.
Th e anti-graft agency alleged that Justice Fishim received the money “so as to have a signifi cant increase in your assets that you cannot reasonably explain the increase in relation to your lawful income.” It alleged that the judge acted contrary to Section 82 (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos state, No.11, 2011. In view of the defendant’s plea, the EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, asked the court for a trial date. Th e defendant’s counsel, Mr. Amuda Kehinde (SAN), begged the court to grant the defendant bail on self recognisance. Adebiyi granted bail to the NIC judge on self recognision and adjourned the matter to October 11, 12 and 13 for trial.
