– Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is may seize some houses belonging to Federal High Court Judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, if she fails to explain where she got the money to buy the houses
– The properties which are located at 18 Lai Ajayi Bembe Street, Parkview Ikoyi, Lagos and another on Atlantic Drive, UPDC Estate, Lekki worth about N500m
– EFCC also traced another property in London to Ajumogobia. The EFCC source said the house was hurriedly paid for despite the fact that the mortgage taken on the property was supposed to elapse in 2018
Anti graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is may seize some houses belonging to Federal High Court Judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, if she fails to explain where she got the money to buy the houses.
The properties which are located at 18 Lai Ajayi Bembe Street, Parkview Ikoyi, Lagos and another on Atlantic Drive, UPDC Estate, Lekki worth about N500m Punch newspaper is reporting.
The report added that operatives of the EFCC found incriminating documents at the Ikoyi property when it was searched.
“When we first invited her, she told us that she was ill and had been admitted at the Gold Cross Hospital, Bourdillon, Ikoyi. When we visited the place, we found out that she was not there.
“Moments later, some of the hospital staff tried to sneak her into the hospital but they were caught red-handed and they apologised. We later led the judge to her Parkview residence and searched the whole place.
“When asked where she got the money to build such a house, she said she got some money from her son who won a case against the London Police. She also gave some explanations which we are trying to verify.
“The Deed of Agreement is in someone else’s name but it carries her signature,” a source at EFCC was quoted.
The source added; “At the Lekki home located at the UPDC Estate, she claimed the property was rented but we don’t believe it so we have marked the building and it is under investigation.”
EFCC also traced another property in London to Ajumogobia. The EFCC source said the house was hurriedly paid for despite the fact that the mortgage taken on the property was supposed to elapse in 2018.
“We found out that she is a director in a company known as Silver Step Incorporated and that was the name used in buying the London property. The property was bought on mortgage and it was supposed to elapse in 2018. However, payment was completed in 2014.”
The anti-graft agency also claimed to have stumbled on a transaction involving N18m ($120,000 as of 2012) wired to a foreign account from her domiciliary account for the purchase of the London property in 2012.
“Ajumogobia owned up to the money but claimed it was a loan obtained privately from a family friend. The ‘family friend’, who is a chairman of an oil and gas company from where the funds emanated, has been invited by the commission for questioning. So far, he had told operatives that the money was an assistance he rendered to her.
Inquiry into the loan facility as claimed by both of them showed no formal agreement or documentation as to how and when the repayment would be made.
“However, the oil and gas company chairman is presently telling the commission the extent of his relationship and involvement with the funds which was wired into the judge’s personal account sometime in 2012 while she was already a sitting judge of the Federal High Court,” the source said.
Apart from Ofili-Ajumogobia, seven other judges are currently under investigation by the EFCC and the Department of State Services.
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