DSS witness recants claims against Justice Ademola

An operative of the Department of State Services (DSS), Babatunde Adepoju, yesterday told an FCT High Court that intelligence in his brief alleged that Justice Adeniyi Ademola received bribes from former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki and Nnamdi Kanu to grant them bail.

Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Barrister Segun Jegede, the witness said he was directed on 9/10/2016 to investigate allegations of bribery involving Justice Ademola.

He added that he was also requested to the case of one Jenkins Gwede who submitted a petition that Justice Ademola collected the sum of $200,000 to discharge an earlier garnishee order granted in his favour.

He said he was also directed to investigate an allegation that Justice Ademola used his position as the judge of Federal High Court and his close ties to APC leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu to influence the appointment of his wife, Olabowale Ademola as the Head of Service (HOS) of Lagos State.

He added that Justice Ademola denied the allegations. Under cross examination, the witness said based on his investigation, there was no evidence to prove that Justice Ademola influenced the appointment of his wife as HOS of Lagos State.

He added that there was also no evidence to prove Jenkins’ allegations. He said he did not also find evidence to prove that Justice Ademola collected bribe to grant bail to Dasuki or Kanu. “They were hearsays”, he said.

He added that investigation did not also refute Justice Ademola’s claim that prosecution did not oppose to Dasuki’s bail application.

The witness also told the court that the co-defendant in the case, Joe Agi (SAN) in the statement he made to the DSS said that the N30 million he was accused of paying into the account of Mrs. Ademola was at the instance of two of his clients: Ken Hubert and Bassey Bassey who instructed him to donate $150,000 in support of the Ademolas’ daughter’s wedding. The witness said the two persons when contacted confirmed instructing the donation.

He said investigation also revealed that Justice Ademola granted three garnishee orders in excess of $636 million, $637 million and $3.1 billion in favour of a client of Joe Agi around the period Joe Agi paid N30 million in three tranches of N10 million each into the accounts of Mrs. Ademola.

Under cross examination, the witness said he is aware that estacodes are given in foreign currencies, adding that he is also aware that whether to spend or not to spend the estacodes remains the business of the receiver of the estacodes.

The trial continues today with further cross-examination of the witness.