SAN denies link with EFCC's investigation of NIC judges

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, has denied any link with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigation of Justice Adbadu Fischin of the National Industrial Court (NIC) over alleged corruption.

An online publication had claimed the EFCC invited Akintola with other lawyers to its Abuja office, as part of its investigation into the matter.

Though Akintola is in Abuja, he denied being there to defend any indicted judge before the National Judicial Council (NJC), adding that such claims were not only false but also mischievous.

In a release he personally signed, Akintola said he only met and exchanged views with the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, over a newspaper interview in which Akintola had suggested states should domesticate the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) to fasten the delivery of justice in Nigerian courts and fight corruption more effectively.

"My attention has been drawn to a publication linking me to a purported invitation by the EFCC over the investigation of Justice Fischin of the National Industrial Court," he said in the statement. "In the first place, I have not been invited by the EFCC over the issue. Secondly, I am not involved and have never been involved in bribery or attempt to bribe anyone in my life."

But he admitted Justice Fischin had been his personal friend and professional colleague for more than 20 years, during which they had supported each other in family matters, as is the practice in the judiciary.

"When he lost his father and mother in quick succession," he said of Justice Fischin, "he invited me to his village, but I could not attend but sent him N100, 000 on each of the occasions. He in turn," he added, "gave me the N50, 000 when I was burying my mother, and N25, 000 when I was giving my daughter away in marriage in 2014 and 2015 respectively."

 He insisted that such practice, of mutual support, was so established that even the EFCC, "with a covering letter", gave Justice Ibrahim Auta, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, "N500, 000, when he lost his mother for condolences,", adding that judicial officers were normal human beings that have relations, friends and course mates. "They are allowed by the code of conduct to receive reasonable gifts from friends, colleagues, etc," he said. He said he seldom appeared in the NIC, adding that the only case his chambers ever had there was handled by a junior and was lost, and was pending appeal before a higher court. 

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