Prosecuting counsel, Mr. Charles Adeogun-Phillips, in a marvel circulate on Thursday, withdrew from the trial of a Justice of the superb court, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, who's being prosecuted by the Federal authorities for cash laundering expenses regarding over N500m.
Adeogun-Phillips, a personal legal practitioner and a former respected prosecutor at ICC, announced his decision to withdraw from the suit while the case came up for continuation of trial earlier than Justice John Tsoho of the Federal excessive court in Abuja on Thursday.
Sources near the prosecutor revealed that the withdrawal of Adeogun-Phillips from Ngwuta’s trial become “a mixture of protest and factors of the current bloodless courting among him and the workplace of the lawyer widespread of the Federation”.
The protest through the lawyer was stated to be towards Tuesday’s losing of prices earlier filed in opposition to the chief Registrar of the ideal court docket, Ahmed Saleh, and other officials of the apex court.
The prices withdrawn by the office of the attorney fashionable of the Federation in opposition to Saleh, Muhammed Abdulrahman Sharif and Rilwanu Lawal worried alleged diversion of N2.2bn belonging to the apex court docket.
The 3 ideal court officers had been additionally accused of receiving gratifications totalling N74.4m from non-public contractors who had been offering services to the very best court docket among 2009 and 2016.
Adeogun-Phillips was engaged by the Federal government to additionally lead the prosecution of the apex court docket’s officers but changed into absent while a lawyer from the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs Hajara Yusuf, introduced the withdrawal of the prices earlier than a excessive court on Tuesday.
A supply acquainted with the dealing with of the judges’ and court officers’ cases instructed Punch that, “The leader Registrar case is the biggest amongst those cases concerning judges however if you notice they have been in no way arraigned.
“The claim that they dropped the costs so that he could be used as witness in Ngwuta’s trial is only a facade. The fact is that his proof isn't going to do a lot in Ngwuta’s case.
“Adeogun-Phillips observed that the government is not equipped to prosecute the chief Registrar and others because all of the three are northerners.
“He asked the government, ‘why do you prosecute one and depart the other? If we're fighting corruption allow us to recognize we are combating corruption, if we are not, allow us to recognize we aren't’.
“when he could now not agree on some of problems he had to quit..."
Many have said a cabal has hijacked Buhari's authorities and handiest their enemies are allowed to be prosecuted, at the same time as the ones they prefer are allowed to move free. How real? I bet time will tell.
Adeogun-Phillips, a personal legal practitioner and a former respected prosecutor at ICC, announced his decision to withdraw from the suit while the case came up for continuation of trial earlier than Justice John Tsoho of the Federal excessive court in Abuja on Thursday.
Sources near the prosecutor revealed that the withdrawal of Adeogun-Phillips from Ngwuta’s trial become “a mixture of protest and factors of the current bloodless courting among him and the workplace of the lawyer widespread of the Federation”.
The protest through the lawyer was stated to be towards Tuesday’s losing of prices earlier filed in opposition to the chief Registrar of the ideal court docket, Ahmed Saleh, and other officials of the apex court.
The prices withdrawn by the office of the attorney fashionable of the Federation in opposition to Saleh, Muhammed Abdulrahman Sharif and Rilwanu Lawal worried alleged diversion of N2.2bn belonging to the apex court docket.
The 3 ideal court officers had been additionally accused of receiving gratifications totalling N74.4m from non-public contractors who had been offering services to the very best court docket among 2009 and 2016.
Adeogun-Phillips was engaged by the Federal government to additionally lead the prosecution of the apex court docket’s officers but changed into absent while a lawyer from the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs Hajara Yusuf, introduced the withdrawal of the prices earlier than a excessive court on Tuesday.
A supply acquainted with the dealing with of the judges’ and court officers’ cases instructed Punch that, “The leader Registrar case is the biggest amongst those cases concerning judges however if you notice they have been in no way arraigned.
“The claim that they dropped the costs so that he could be used as witness in Ngwuta’s trial is only a facade. The fact is that his proof isn't going to do a lot in Ngwuta’s case.
“Adeogun-Phillips observed that the government is not equipped to prosecute the chief Registrar and others because all of the three are northerners.
“He asked the government, ‘why do you prosecute one and depart the other? If we're fighting corruption allow us to recognize we are combating corruption, if we are not, allow us to recognize we aren't’.
“when he could now not agree on some of problems he had to quit..."
Many have said a cabal has hijacked Buhari's authorities and handiest their enemies are allowed to be prosecuted, at the same time as the ones they prefer are allowed to move free. How real? I bet time will tell.