Ngwuta: Cash Recovered By DSS Not Complete - Court

Officials of the Federal High Court in Abuja and the Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday disagreed over the actual amount found in the house of the suspended Supreme Court judge, Justice Sylvanus Ngwuta.

The court had earlier ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to deposit the nine bags and boxes of local and foreign currencies at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

But at the resumed hearing, recounts by court officials indicated a shortage of N22,160 from the initial N35, 358,000 earlier rendered by the prosecution.

Under examination by prosecution counsel, Mrs Olufemi Fatunde, a senior operative of the DSS, John Utazi, said he led operatives to recover various sums including: N35m, £35, 915, $319,096, 50 South Africa rand,  280, 000 Euros, 380 Dirhams and 420 Dalases from the judge’s house.

However, under cross examination by the defence counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), John Utazi insisted he handed over N35, 358,000 to the exhibit-keeper.

Justice Ngwuta is facing a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering, false age declaration and possession of multiple diplomatic passports. The case was adjourned to July 3 for hearing.

By John Chuks Azu

Bags, Boxes Of Cash Presented By FG Against Supreme Court Justice Ngwuta

The Federal Government has tendered as evidence nine bags and boxes filled with local and foreign currencies, before a Federal High Court in Abuja, against Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta.

All the items were allegedly recovered from his home.

The items were allegedly recovered from his official residence in Abuja during a search operation carried out by men of the Department of State Service, DSS.

Recall that Justice Ngwuta is being prosecuted by the federal government on 13 counts, including passport fraud, money laundering allegations of retention and concealment of origin of the sums contained in the nine bags and boxes.

A prosecution witness, Mr. John Utazi,‎ a DSS officer , had in his testimony on May 16, 2017, given details of how his team searched Justice Ngwuta’s official residence in Abuja on October 7, 2016 and what was recovered during the search.

Continuing his testimony on Thursday, Utazi revealed further that the bags and boxes contained naira, United States dollars, British pounds sterling, euro, South African rands, United Arab Emirates dirham and Gambian dalasis.

The items were flung open during court proceedings, showing to the glare of everybody the cash in them.

Of the nine items, eight of them contained naira notes, totaling N35,358,000, Utazi had disclosed.

He said the ninth bag contained £25,915; $319,596 (USD); R50 (South African rands); 380 ( dirhams); 420 dalasis and €280 (euros)

By Ali Adoyi

Suspended Supreme Court Judge, Sylvester Ngwuta Re-arraigned By FG

The Federal Government on Tuesday re-arraigned a suspended Justice of the Supreme Court, Sylvester Ngwuta at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on allegations of money laundering and abuse of office.

Ngwuta had earlier been arraigned on corruption related offences based on 16-count charge.

The prosecution had on March 16, slashed the 16-count charge to 12-count.

At the resumed sitting, counsel to the prosecution, Mrs Fatunde Olusegun, sought the leave of the court to further jerk up the number of charges to 13.

Justice John Tsoho went ahead to grant Olusegun’ prayer which necessitated the re-arraignment of the defendant.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the entire 13-count charge was read to Ngwuta, but he pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

NAN reports that the additional charge accused the defendant to have given false information to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in order to obtain additional diplomatic passport.

In a related development, the fourth prosecution witness, Tanimola Alao, a staff of the Department State Service (DSS), while testifying, said he met the defendant on Oct. 9, 2016.

Alao said he was directed by the department to witness the defendant’s statement.

He said those agents that took the statement had followed the procedure as he (Ngwuta) was given a cautionary word before writing the statement.

“My Lord, he was not forced or intimidated to write the statement he generated by himself.

“After he had finished, I signed the defendant’s statement form which was counter signed by the Chief Investigator,’’ he said.

Also, John Otazi, the fifth witness, narrated the sequence of the event that took place at the defendant’s residence during the search.

Otazi told the court that the DSS agents that went for the operation were hindered by policemen and security guards at the defendant’s apartment.

According to him, the defendant’s guard tried hard to abort the operation in spite the display of the search warrant.

The witness further stated that after they had gained entry, the defendant led the team to his bedroom for the search.

“During the search we found large sums of foreign currencies in a bag inside one of the defendant’s wardrobe,’’ he said.

Otazi also said the defendant led the team to his study room where they discovered some bank statements, building plans, documents relating to the defendant’s salary and some vehicles papers.

“At the end of the search, the items recovered were recorded at the back of the search warrant and was given to the defendant who read and signed,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the court admitted the defendant’s statement and search warrant in evidence at the instance of the prosecution’s request.

The judge adjourned the matter until May 17 for cross examination and continuation of hearing.

(NAN)

Saraki, Ngwuta, Others CCT Trial To Be Held Daily

The Code of Conduct Tribunal has said the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki, a Supreme Court Justice, Sylvester Ngwuta, and others currently before it will continue on a day-by-day basis, Premium Times reports.

Saraki is facing an 18-count charge for false declaration of asset while Ngwuta was slammed with an eight-count charge on the same offence.

The CCT stated this in its practice direction manual for the year 2017, which said, “Hearing of cases shall be from day-to-day bases as the diary of the tribunal may permit for the purpose of fair and speedy trial”.

The manual was signed by the Tribunal’s chairman, Danladi Umar, and a member of the CCT, William Atedze.

It said trials will start at 9 a.m., every working day, stressing that no attempt to frustrate the speedy dispensation of matters at the tribunal would be tolerated.

  


By Dolapo Adelana