A FRAUD analyst working with MTN Communications, Mr. Adekunle Ogunbadejo, has confirmed to an Ikeja Special Offences Court the call logs between a judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Mohammed Yunusa and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Ricky Tarfa.
Ogunbadejo, who is the first prosecution witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was being led in evidence by Mr. Wahab Shittu, the lead prosecuting counsel for the commission before Justice Sherifat Solebo.
Justice Yunusa is facing a four-count of attempted perversion of the course of justice and corruption by a public official. Co-defendant and an employee with law firm of Ricky Tarfa (SAN), Esther Agbo, is facing a charge of offering gratification to a public official.
During proceedings yesterday, Ogunbadejo told the court that call log contained the records of two numbers, which belong to one Rickey Mustapha Tarfa and one Mohammed Nasir Yunusa.
“There were several calls made between these numbers,” he said.
Shittu’s attempt to make Ogunbadejo testify about his statement on oath made to the EFCC was, however, opposed by Justice Yunusa’s defence counsel, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN) and Agbo’s defence counsel Mr. John Odubela (SAN).
Their objection was on the grounds that it was not served on their team as part of the proof of evidence, which should be forwarded to the defence.
Justice Sherifat Solebo, while upholding the objection of the defence, said: “In view of the tardiness of the prosecution and lack of proof of service of the statement to the defence, it is hereby marked rejected.”
Under cross-examination by Clarke, Ogunbadejo admitted that he was not privy to the content of the phone conversations between the judge and Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN).
“We (MTN) do not give cloned sim cards; we do not keep records of verbal communications; we do not keep the content of text messages; and we are not privy to conversations between two parties,” the MTN fraud analyst said.
The second prosecution witness and the Head of Regulatory Liaison at UBA, Mr. Robinson Imafidon, also told the court that in 2016, following the EFCC’s request, UBA provided the statement of the account of the judge to the anti-graft agency.
“The owner of the account is Mohammed Nasir Yunusa, on March 18, 2015 there was a transfer of N750,000 from one Joseph Nwobike, SAN and Co.
“On May 14, 2015, there was a cash deposit into the account of N1.5million by one Agbo Esther,” he said.
Under cross-examination by Clarke, Imafidon admitted that he was not aware of the purpose of the bank transaction.
“I do not know the reason for the transfer by Esther Agbo,” Imafidon said.
Earlier during proceedings, Justice Solebo, in a short ruling, admitted into evidence, a letter from MTN, which was certified by the EFCC.
On July 4, the defence had opposed the admissibility of the letter on the grounds that the anti-graft agency could not certify a document from MTN.
In the ruling, Justice Solebo noted that the letter, which certified the MTN call logs, was retrieved during investigations by the anti-graft agency.
