FG charges S’Court Justice with money laundering

Ebun Francis

The Federal Government has concluded arrangement to charge one the arrested supreme court justices, Sylvester Ngwuta with a six count charge of  money laundering  and falsification  of age at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The supreme court Justice is being accused of retaining in his residence N35,358,000; $319,596 and £25,915 during the raid on his house by agents of DSS.

The Justice of the apex court is equally accused of “knowingly” making a false statement to the Passport Office concerning his date of birth for the purpose of procuring an additional Diplomatic Passport for himself in violation of Section 10 (1)(c) of the Immigration Act.

The suit to be filled Attorney General of the Federation is numbered, FHC/ABJ/CR/232/2016,  and it read, “Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta, adult, ‘M’, 65 years, of No. 2 Yellow Houses, Supreme Court Quarters, Off Shehu Shagari Way, Central District, Abuja, on or about the 8th day of October, 2016, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, retained in your possession the sum of thirty-five million, three hundred and forty-eight thousand naira (NGN35,358,000.00), which sum forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended).

“Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta, adult, ‘M’, 65 years of No. 2 Yellow Houses, Supreme Court Quarters, Off Shehu Shagari Way, Central District, Abuja, on or about the 8th day of October, 2016, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, retained in your possession the sum of three hundred and nineteen thousand five hundred and ninety-six United States of America dollars ($319,596), which sum forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended).

“Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta, adult, ‘M’, 65 years, of No. 2 Yellow Houses, Supreme Court Quarters, off Shehu Shagari Way, Central District, Abuja, on or about the 8th day of October, 2016, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, retained in your possession the sum of twenty-five thousand nine hundred and fifteen pounds sterling (GBP 25,915), which sum forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended).

“Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta, adult, ‘M’, 65 years, of No. 2 Yellow Houses, Supreme Court Quarters, off Shehu Shagari Way, Central District, Abuja, FCT, on 8th October, 2016, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, had in your possession two valid Diplomatic Passports and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 10 (1) (a) of the Immigration Act 2015.

“Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta, adult, ‘M’, 65 years, of No. 2 Yellow Houses Supreme Court Quarters, Off Shehu Shagari Way, Central District, Abuja, FCT, on 17 September, 2014, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, you knowingly made a false statement to the Passport Office concerning your date of birth for the purpose of procuring an additional Diplomatic Passport for yourself and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 10(1)(c) of the Immigration Act.

“Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta, adult,male, 65 years, of No. 2 Yellow Houses, Supreme Court Quarters, Off Shehu Way, Central District, Abuja, FCT, on September 17, 2014, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, you  submitted multiple application forms to one or more passport offices with the intention of obtaining multiple Diplomatic Passports for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 10 (1) (d) of the Immigration Act 2015 and Punishable under Section 10 (1) of the same Act.”