Naira Marley's Former Lawyer Jailed 2 Years For Demanding N4m Bribe

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of an Ikeja Special Offences Court has sentenced a lawyer, Taiwo Oreagba, to two years imprisonment for soliciting a bribe to the tune of N4m.

Oreagba, who once represented “Am I a Yahoo boy?” crooner, Naira Marley, bagged the jail term after being convicted by the court.

Oreagba was originally docked before the judge over the alleged offence by the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) on November 12, 2020, before Justice Sherifat Solebo of the same court.

She had pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge bordering on alleged corrupt demand and obtaining the sum of N4m by false pretence.

Oreagba, counsel to one Kelechi Uka, who was being investigated by the EFCC and standing trial on offences relating to stealing at the Lagos State High Court, was alleged to have collected the N4m sum from one Henry Umoh supposedly to influence EFCC agents to secure Uka’s release.

The convicted lawyer was specifically accused of committing the offence on or about the 2nd day of March 2020 in Lagos, whilst acting as Umoh’s counsel.

As a result of Oreagba’s plea, the court granted her bail and the trial commenced.

But during trial, Justice Solebo recused herself from hearing the case, and it was sent back to the Chief Judge (CJ) for reassignment.

The CJ promptly transferred the case to Justice Taiwo, which led to the re-arraignment of Oreagba on the two counts, and the trial commenced.

Delivering judgment, Justice Taiwo observed that Oreagba did not challenge the content of the voice recording.

Justice Taiwo sent Oreagba to two years imprisonment for the offence of corrupt demand by a person. 

The judge, however, gave Oreagba an option of a fine to the tune of N500,000, having restituted the N4m to her victim.

In condemning the convict’s boast that she could influence law enforcement officers and that she could influence the assignment of cases to judges in the Lagos State Judiciary, Justice Taiwo discharged Oreagba on the second count of obtaining money by false pretence.

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