Ibori’s Judge Retires, Keeps Silent on ex-Governor's Case

Justice Marcellus Idowu Awokulehin, the judge who was famous for giving the former Delta State Governor, Onanefe James Ibori, clean bill of health in the corruption charges filed against him, has retired on January 16, 2014, Thursday.

Justice Awokulehin thanked the judges, others at a well-attended valedictory service held in the premises of the Federal High Court, Lagos, in his honour, and offered his gratitude to the late Bola Ige, who recommended him for the post of a judge.

It would be recalled that on December 17, 2009, Justice Awokulehin in his ruling quashed all the 170-count criminal charges filed against Ibori by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
However, Ibori was later extradited to the U.K., where he was convicted and jailed for 13 years for the same offence Awokulehin set him free in Nigeria.
Justice Awokulehin was born on January, 16, 1949, in Otan Aiyegbaju in Boluwaduro Local Government Area of Osun State.
He started his early education (1955-1960) at Holy Cross Primary School, Lagos, and St. Mary’s Primary School, Lokoja, from 1960-1962. From there he gained admission into St. Thomas’s School Kano from 1962-1964.
He later continued his secondary education at the Hussey College, Warri from 1964-1968.
Awokulehin was admitted into the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, as part time student from 1971-1973, and full time student from 1973-1975.
He later proceeded to the City of London Polytechnic from 1975-1978 for his Modular Law and from1978-1979 and obtained his Master’s degree having completed a post graduate course in business law. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1982.
He did his National Youth Service with the Federal Ministry of Justice from 1982-1983. He was later made permanent staff from 1985-1987.
Between 1987 and1993, he was Senior State Counsel, Legal Adviser to the Department of Customs and Excise, Chief Legal Adviser Department of public prosecution, Marina, Lagos from August 1998-March 1999.
Awokulehin was the Lead Counsel to the Oputa panel during its sitting in Lagos in 2001.
He was appointed as Federal High Court Judge on January 7, 2004, and served five divisions of the court, namely Asaba, Benin, Lagos, Lafia and Kaduna.
Awokulehin has retired after attaining the statutory retirement age of 65.