Ebun Francis
The Federal Government on Monday opposed the bail application filed by Chief Kanu Agabi, the lawyer for the embattled Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, because the suspended supreme court judge tampered with evidence likely to incriminate him while on bail. According to court documents, Justice Ngwuta was alleged to have made a call to someone in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, to move the sum of N27m cash and three exotic cars to some other locations with the aim to conceal them from investigators.
The document deposed to by Mr. Ganau Wando, from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, states, “That whilst on administrative bail between October 9 and 21, 2016, the defendant/applicant committed further offences.
“That, in particular, following his arrest on October 7, 2016, and subsequent release on administrative bail on October 9, 2016, the defendant/applicant sought to obstruct the proper administration of justice, having tampered with the evidence likely to incriminate him in criminal acts by engaging one Mr. Nwamba Linus Chukwuebuka through a telephone call on October 10, 2016, to remove the properties from his private residence located at Engineering Close, Off Onwe Road, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. The properties are as follows:
“A bag located in the defendant/applicant’s bathroom containing some vital documents which was initially concealed by Mr. Chukwuebuka at the residence of one Abraham Ezeani in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, on or about October 9, 2016, and subsequently recovered from there by investigators from the DSS in November 2016.
“A bag located in the defendant/applicant’s bathroom containing the sum of N27m in cash which was initially concealed by Mr. Chukwuebuka at the residence of one Abraham Ezeani in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, on or about October 9, 2016, following which it was subsequently dissipated by Mr. Chukwuebuka on the direct instructions of the defendant/applicant.”
The counter-affidavit added that the Hummer Jeep Sports Utility Vehicle, Wrangler Jeep Sports Utility Vehicle and BMW 5 Series Vehicle were “previously located in the compound of the defendant/applicant’s private home in Abakaliki and initially concealed by Mr. Chukwuebuka at the residence of an aunt to Chukwuebuka in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, on or about October 9, 2016, and subsequently recovered from there by investigators from the DSS in November 2016.
After listening to argument from both the defence and prosecution counsels, the trial Judge after a brief recess granted the accused bail to the sum of N100m to be guaranteed by his own recognisance while December 8 and 9 was fixed for the commencement of trial.
