FG tenders cash, firearms recovered from Justice Ademola

The Federal Government yesterday tendered as evidence, items including cash and firearms allegedly recovered from the residence of Justice Adeniyi Ademola during the raid on his home by the Department of State Services (DSS) last year.

Prosecution counsel, Barrister Segun Jegede through the exhibit keeper of the DSS, Umar Ahmed presented the items before Justice Jude Okeke of an FCT High Court.

The items include: two Avar Magnum pump action rifles; one pack of red head cartridges containing 25 pieces and 10 pieces of white head cartridges; and photocopy and original of two firearm licences.

Others are cash bundles of N1000 notes in three bags totalling N39.5 million. Also tendered are United States’ Dollar bills in 11 wraps of $100 bills, one wrap of $50 bills and 61 pieces of $100 bills and several pieces of $20, $10 and $5 bills all amounting to $121,279. He also tendered 4,400, £80 and 1000 Indian Rupees.

Without objection from all the defense counsels, the trial judge, Justice Okeke admitted the total of 15 items tendered through the witness as exhibits.

With the agreement of all counsels, the judge gave order that the cash recoveries be handed over to the Director of Litigation of the FCT High Court, Madugu Muhammad for safekeeping who should deposit same in the bank and provide evidence of the deposit to the court.

Ahmed, who was giving testimony as the eleventh prosecution witness told the court the first firearm’s licence has the name of Justice Ademola while the other has the name of Justice AR Muhammad and both have December 2015 as their expiry dates.

Earlier, the defendants were re-arraigned on an amended 18-counts charge to which they pleaded not guilty.

One of the additional counts accused Justice Ademola of giving false information with intent to mislead a public officer. He was alleged to have in his written statement on October 10, 2016 falsely stated that one of the pump action rifle found in his possession belongs to Justice AR Muhammad to mislead DSS operatives in performance of their duties.

Trial continues today.