The National Judicial Council has reinstated Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia as a judge of the Federal High Court, following the dismissal of a money laundering case preferred against her by the EFCC.
On December 5, the NJC, in a circular issued by Chief Judge John Tsoho, notified judges of the court about the development.
The decision to reinstate Ms Ofili-Ajumogobia was taken on December 1 during a meeting of the NJC.
Justice Tsoho’s circular reads: “Your lordships are, by this circular letter, notified that at the meeting of the National Judicial Council held on the 1st of December, 2022, the council reinstated Hon. Justice R. N. Ofili-Ajumogobia as a Judicial Officer.
“The reinstatement takes instant effect and there shall be consequential posting.”
Ms Ofili-Ajumogobia was prosecuted by the EFCC on a 15-count charge bordering on money laundering and breach of public trust.
In a ruling in November 2021, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of Lagos division of FHC upheld Ms Ofili-Ajumogobia’s application to quash the charge and dismissed the allegations against her.
Mr Lewis-Allagoa relied on an earlier order by Justice Binta Nyako of a FHC, Abuja, which quashed all the recommendations of the NJC.
Ms Nyako, in a judgement delivered on Nov. 28, 2019, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/638/2018 filed by Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia against the NJC, quashed the council’s report and recommendations, including for the judge’s sack.
(NAN)