N4m bribe: Naira Marley’s lawyer bags two years in jail

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Ikeja High Court in Lagos yesterday sentenced a lawyer, Taiwo Oreagba, to two years imprisonment for soliciting a N4 million bribe.

Justice Taiwo convicted Oreagba, who once represented “Am I a Yahoo boy?” crooner Naira Marley in his ongoing alleged internet crime-related prosecution, following a two-year trial.

The judge observed that Oreagba did not controvert the content of a voice recording wherein she was heard bragging that she would use the N4 million to bribe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials for a soft landing for her client.

The judge sentenced Oreagba to two years imprisonment for the offence of corrupt demand by a person.

However, noting that the convict had restituted the N4 million to her victim, Justice Taiwo gave Oreagba an option of a N500,000 fine.

The judge discharged Oreagba on the second count of obtaining money by false pretence.

Justice Taiwo condemned 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.

Oreagba was originally arraigned for the alleged offence by the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) on November 12, 2020 before Justice Sherifat Solebo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.

She pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge bordering on alleged corrupt demand and obtaining the N4 million by false pretence.

At that time, Oreagba, counsel to one Kelechi Uka – who was under investigation by the EFCC) – was alleged to have collected the N4 million from one Henry Umoh supposedly to influence EFCC agents to secure Uka’s release.

Uka is standing trial on offences relating to stealing at the Lagos State High Court.

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