Judges not barred from collecting gifts by law – Defence counsel

A lead defence counsel in the ongoing trial of a Federal High Court judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, Chief Robert Clarke, SAN, Friday said the law does not preclude judges from receiving gifts in line with the National Judicial Policy of the country.

Clarke also said there is a difference between a judicial officer and public officer, reiterating that the law classifies judicial officers as “special specie”.The lawyer made the assertion while cross-examining a prosecution witness, Mr Lawal Abdullahi during Ajumogobia’s before Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court.

Ofili-Ajumogobia is standing trial alongside Mr Godwin Obla (SAN), a former prosecutor for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).Clarke who leads the defence team for Ofili-Ajumogobia said,“A judicial officer is regarded as a ‘special specie’ under the law.“In line with the National Judicial Policy, a judicial officer is allowed to receive gifts and the type of gifts are not specified under the policy.

“The law does not define it, the law does not forbid it, a judicialofficer is different from a publicofficer.“The definition of a judicial officer is well spelt out in the constitution and the definition of a pubic officer is in the Code of Conduct Act,” he said.

Abdullahi, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), however, maintained that such gifts is limited to souvenirs given out during celebrations.