Tobi Adebayo
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has upturned the conviction of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joseph Nwobike.
Recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Nwobike before a Lagos High Court on an 18-count charge bordering on perversion of justice, giving false information to an EFCC official and offering gratification to a public officer.
He was subsequently convicted by Justice Raliatu Adebiyi in 2018 after which he was stripped of his SAN title.
However, Nwobike appealed the conviction but the Court of Appeal upheld Justice Adebiyi’s judgement.
The SAN further took the case before the Supreme Court where the conviction was upturned on by a five-member panel led by Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
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In a judgement delivered by Justice Tijjani Abubakar on Friday, 20th December, the Supreme court held that the EFCC could not “hide under its Act to usurp the functions of other law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies like the Police, Office of Federal and States Attorneys General, Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee, and National Judicial Council, among others.”
“On the whole therefore, I find merit in this appeal and it is hereby allowed. The decision of the Court of Appeal delivered on the 19th day of December, 2019 is hereby set aside.
“Appellant’s conviction and sentence on Counts 7 – 11, 13, 15 – 17 of the Amended Information are hereby set aside, the Appellant is consequently discharged,” Justice Abubakar said.
