How Justice Ademola’s son got N8.4m car from senior lawyer

The trial of suspended Federal High Court judge, Adeniyi Ademola, his wife Olabowale and a senior advocate of Nigeria, Joe Agi began yesterday with the first prosecution witness revealing how Agi purchased a car for Ademola’s son.

Led in prosecution Jegede, the evidence by counsel, Segun witness, Ifeoma Ofonagoru, a sales consultant with Coscharis Motors told the court the payment for the BMW 320i was consummated by a fund transfer of N8.4 million from the accounts of Joe Agi & Associates.

She said “It was during the closing of sales with Ademide Ademola (Justice Ademola’s son), that I first heard the name Joe Agi. The name came up after when Ademide said I should send the quotation in respect of the BMW 320i and attention it to Joe Agi.”

When she was asked who made the payment, she said “It was a cash transfer from Joe Agi and Associates and it was a one off payment. I was called by Joe Agi himself who told me he had transferred the money through Joe Agi and Associates into the Zenith bank account of Coscharis Motors.”

She said she went with the driver to deliver the car to No. 16 Babatunde Anjours Avenue, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos state where she met with Ademide who received the vehicle. “He checked the vehicle and signed off”. The prosecution tendered the invoice, receipt and the delivery note for the transaction as exhibits.

Whenprosecutioncounselsort to tender the witness statement to the DSS, Ademola’s lawyer, Dr. Onyekachi Ikpeazu (SAN) objected to the admissibility of the statement being that it is a consistent statement of the witness, contrary to the provisions of Section 231 of the Evidence Act. Counsels to Mrs. Ademola and Agi, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN) and Jeph Njikonye also objected to its admissibility with the former saying “it is a time wasting exercise” by the prosecution.

The trial judge, Justice Jude Okeke adjourned ruling for today when trial continues.