The Chief Magistrate, Magistrate Court 1, Warri, Delta state, Carl Moeteke, has been accused of bribery running into over N500, 000 as well as gifted items for a case of human trafficking instituted in his court.
According to reports, the Magistrate allegedly took over a bribe of N370,000 from one Cynthia Igbigbi who was charged for alleged human trafficking in addition to fees he collected in every adjournment date.
Confiding in an impeccable close source and family member, Igbigbi alleged that in one trench of payment, the Magistrate demanded and received the sum of N40, 000 bribe from her as part payment through a proxy Eco Bank Plc account belonging to one Osademe Courage Chukwuwike with account number 0054723532, acting as a front to the Magistrate.
Investigation by our judiciary correspondent revealed that at different occasions, monies were paid by Igbigbi in trenches as demanded by the Magistrate before her case with which she was arrested and charged was struck out for lack of substantial evidence, even as she alleged that she bought packet shirts and suits for the Magistrate in addition to payment of N370,000 and other miscellaneous payment made to the proxy bank account belonging to the Magistrate’s frontier.
Igbigbi, disclosed that the Magistrate’s contact man had at several times called her on phone to find out if the monies have been paid before her case which ordinarily she would have won for lack of evidence was struck out.
It was gathered that, Chief Magistrate Carl Moeteke is also been accused of another bribery in a case instituted in his court by one Christopher Sola Omagbemi who was duped under false pretense by the proprietor of Integrity Professionals, (IPAS) who claim to be the archor man of Chartered Institute of Administration (CIA), Mr. Bright Akinyemi and one of his staff identified as Sarah Edema.
The accused were arraigned before the court in charge No: MW/166C/2016 by the Police ”B” Division in Warri, Delta state after investigation reportedly proved that the said IPAS Proprietor, Akinyemi was allegedly into duping unsuspecting members of the public using the name of the Chartered Institute of Administrators, (CIA).
BigPen Online had reported that, before Omagbemi who was often represented by state counsels could know what was going on, the said Akinyemi had bought justice and without delay, the Chief Magistrate discharged and acquitted him and the other accused, Sarah of the offence of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence as against earlier advice by the state Department of Public Prosecution (DPP), stating that the accused have case to answer.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Omagbemi who expressed disappointment and the way and manner judicial officers were selling justice to the highest bidders, said the Magistrate legally “beheaded justice” in his case, lamenting that the matter has made him to lose faith on Nigeria judicial system, but now has renewed confidence on the Nigeria Police Force.
Mr. Omagbemi, however disclosed that a formal petition against Magistrate Moeteke has been filed to the National Judicial Council, (NJC), for misconduct adding that the police did a very thorough investigation on the case before the accused was charged to Moeteke’s court but instead of dispensing justice according to the law, the Magistrate gave ruling based on the cash he received.
Meanwhile, the Chief Magistrate, Mr. Moeteke, has since debunked the allegations leveled against him.
