Supreme Court Sets Aside Nwobike’s Conviction (Details)

Supreme Court Sets Aside Nwobike’s Conviction (Details)

The Supreme Court has set aside the conviction and 30 days sentencing of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Dr. Joseph Nwobike.

He was initially charged with an attempt to pervert the course of justice.

On Monday, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, faulted the earlier decisions of the Lagos High Court and the Court of Appeal, Lagos, and proceeded to uphold Nwobike’s appeal In a unanimous decision.

It held among others that the High Court of Lagos was wrong in convicting Nwobike on the offence, while the Court of Appeal erred in upholding his conviction and sentencing on the offence of attempt to pervert the course of justice.

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The apex court noted that Section 97(c) of Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) of Lagos State, under which he was charged, did not clearly define what constitutes a perversion of justice while also adding that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) lacks the power to investigate and prosecute the offence of perversion of the course of justice.

The EFCC, through its counsel Rotimi Oyedepo had, among others, accused him of exchanging SMS with a court’s Registrar on the assignment of his cases and when such cases should be heard.