The chairman of the Supreme Court panel that sat on the APGA leadership crisis, Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili, will be arraigned at the FCT High Court 40, Bwari, according to CSP Ezekiel Rimasomte who is prosecuting the Supreme Court recognised National Chairman, Chief Edozie Njoku and Chukwuemeka Nwoga, the National Youth Leader of the party.
In opposing Njoku and Nwoga’s bail application on Monday, November 28th, CSP Ezekiel Rimasomte brandished Justice Odili’s November 7th letter to Edozie Njoku, read the heading to Justice M.A Magudu and announced that the letter was another forgery by Chief Edozie Njoku and Chukwuemeka Nwoga. CSP Ezekiel Rimasomte said he was opposing bail because Edozie Njoku, in addition to being a Nigerian citizen, is also a British citizen. “Edozie Njoku will cause more damages if granted bail by forging more Supreme Court judgements or jumping bail,” CSP Ezekiel Rimasomte said.
CSP Rimasomte told Justice Magudu that he did not mind an accelerated hearing of the case as the Police had concluded its investigation of the forgery allegations.
Justice M.A. Magudu asked CSP Ezekiel Rimasomte when he would be ready to start his case. CSP Rimasomte responded: “My Lord, I’m ready, except that I need time to make arrangements to bring Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili to stand in the dock and explain to the court if she wrote the letter and her role in the forged Supreme Court judgement.”
CSP Ezekiel Rimasomte claimed in open court that Justice Odili had denied knowledge of the letter ‘when contacted earlier and therefore was needed in court to clarify her involvement.
A senior lawyer who spoke to Elendureports on the condition of anonymity said, “this is quite historic and unprecedented in the history of the Nigerian Judiciary, and I might say the Judiciary in the world”.
“The Nigeria Police are investigating the authenticity of a Supreme Court judgement based on the allegations of the losing party, not the apex Court.”
“That the chairman of the panel, an internationally acclaimed jurist like Justice Odili, came out of retirement to own up to the judgment and the police are bold enough to continue the trial is mind-boggling. Yet, I cannot explain the silence of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and even members of the Odili panel.”
“Sadly, the Supreme Court has been going downhill, and this pathetic episode is another nail in its coffin. It is a sad day when the executive branch is putting the judicial branch in the dock. It is another legacy of the Buhari administration.”
The 12-count forgery case against Edozie Njoku and Chukwuemeka Nwoga will continue on Wednesday, November 30th, at Court 40, Bwari.
