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Few minutes after the corruption charges against her were struck out at the Ikeja High Court on Tuesday, dismissed Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, was rearrested by officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission right within the court premises.
About 10 officials swooped on her immediately after the Justice Hakeem Oshodi freed her. According to NAN, the officials surrounded her as she attempted to leave the courtroom at 10.24 am after Oshodi’s ruling.
It was reported that upon sighting the officials, the Ofili-Ajumogobia, a former Federal High Court judge, made a hasty retreat and went back upstairs into Justice Oshodi’s courtroom to seek the protection of the court from the EFCC officials.
Justice Oshodi, when notified about the development, said there was nothing he could do, as “the file had been closed.”
The embattled former judge and her husband who was with her, were observed frantically making various phone calls.
Ofili-Ajumogobia’s co-defendant, Mr. Godwin Obla (SAN) was however allowed to leave the court premises.
Immediately Justice Oshodi’s court rose, Ofili-Ajumogobia was apprehended at 11.47 a.m. by some EFCC officials who whisked her away in a white Hilux van with Abuja number plate BWR637AT.
Justice Oshodi had struck out the 31 counts filed by the EFCC against Ofili-Ajumogobia and Obla on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit.
The judge ruled that, based on the judicial precedent set by the case of Justice Nganjiwa Vs FRN, the EFCC had “jumped the gun” in filing the first amended charge.
Justice Oshodi noted that the anti-graft commission had not followed the procedures set by the National Judicial Council (NJC) in disciplining erring judicial officers.