These are not the best of times for Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court who is currently standing trial before Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on an amended 16-count charge bordering on money laundering. This time, he is to be arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on April 20, an official said on Wednesday.
The tribunal’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Mr Ibraheem Alhassan, said in a statement in Abuja that Ngwuta would appear before a two-man panel over alleged false asset declaration.
Alhassan said that summons had already been served the judicial officer. The Federal Government preferred a 10-count charge against Ngwuta before the tribunal.
The Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), said that Ngwuta contravened Section 15 of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
According to Malami, false declaration of assets is punishable under Section 23 (2) of the Act. Ngwuta is one of the judges whose homes were raided by men of the Department of State Service (DSS) which claimed they uncovered huge sums of money in various denominations. The DSS raided the judges’ residences in October, 2016.
Ngwuta is currently standing trial before Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on an amended 16-count charge bordering on money laundering.
The Federal Government which preferred that charge, said that Ngwuta contravened Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012 (as amended).
