Corruption charges: Justice Ngwuta to be docked next week

ABUJA—Trial Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, has been assigned to try Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court who is facing a nine-count money laundering charge. Justice Tsoho, who presides over court 3, was yesterday handed the case-file marked FHC/ABJ/CR/232/2016, by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta.

Though no date has been fixed for the embattled jurist to take his plea, a top official at the high court, however, hinted to Vanguard that the defendant could be arraigned next week.

Ngwuta was among the seven superior court Justices whose homes were raided by operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, between October 7 and 8, 2016. Charges against him, which border on judicial corruption, money laundering, age falsification, and alleged illegal possession of multiple passports, was endorsed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN. The Federal Government alleged that he retained in his possession the sum of N35, 358, 000.00, contrary to the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended). It further alleged that Ngwuta equally retained in his possession the sum of $319,596.00 (USD) and (GBP) 25, 915, monies the prosecution said formed part of the proceeds of unlawful act contrary to the Money Laundering Act. Government told the court that several sums of cash were allegedly recovered from Ngwuta’s official residence in Abuja, including the sum of N35.3 million, $319,596.00(USD), and 25,915 pounds sterling. It said the DSS had during the raid, recovered four diplomatic passports, one official and two standard Nigerian passport passports, all in the name of the defendant. According to the federal government, Ngwuta, by obtaining multiple passports, committed an offence contrary and punishable under section 10 of the Immigration Act, 2015. Besides, the defendant who is 65 years old, was alleged to have made false statement to the passport office concerning his actual date of birth, for the purpose of procuring an additional Diplomatic Passport. Remarkably, if not for his ordeal, Ngwuta would have stayed on the apex court bench till 2021 when he would have retired upon clocking 70 years. However, the National Judicial Council, NJC, had since asked him to step down from the bench pending his trial. The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed had  on Monday, explained why the NJC barred Ngwuta and other Judges facing corruption allegations from further presiding over cases. The CJN who spoke while swearing in two new Justices for the apex court, said the NJC reconsidered its earlier position after it was confronted with proof of evidence against Judges affected by the DSS “sting operation”. Aside Ngwuta, other Judges equally earmarked for prosecution are Justice Inyang Okoro who was formerly on the apex court bench. Others are Justices Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court in Abuja,   Muazu Pindiga of the Federal High Court, Gombe Division, former Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice I. A. Umezulike, the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, Justice Mohammed Tsamiya; and judge of the Kano State High Court, Justice Kabiru Auta.