Embattled S/Court judge : Court subpoena CR S/C
…..To appear today in Court
The Federal High Court has subpoenaed the Chief Registrar ( CR) of the Supreme Court Mr. Ahmed Gambo Saleh to testify against the suspended Supreme Court Judge, Justice Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta over alleged money laundering and possession of fake multiple passports is likely to begin today before the federal High court, Abuja.
In the subpoena personally signed by the Trial judge and dated 23 January, 2017, the CR was commanded to appear before the courttomorrow Thursday, 9th February 2017 at 9:00 AM.
The subpoena reads” you are hereby commanded in the name of the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to attend before this court at the federal High Court 3, Abuja on Thursday 9th day February, 2017 at 9:00 AM O’Clock in the fire join and so from day to day till the above case is tried to bring evidence on behalf of the complainant and also to bring with you and produce at the time and place all relevant documents pertaining to the numerous transactions you carried out for the Defendant in this case”.
Already, a building contractor has to testify on how between 2014 and 2016, he handled several projects for which he received cash payments money totaling $1,000,000.00 from Justice Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta, a serving justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
In a 14-count amended criminal charge filed before the Federal High Court recently against 65 years-old Justice Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta it was alleged that Ngwuta transferred various sums of money to one Linus Chukwuebuka, a building contractor who will double as a prosecution witness.
For example, it was alleged that Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta, of No. 2 Yellow Houses, Supreme Court Quarters, Off Shehu Shagari Way, Central District, Abuja, on or about the 4th day of January 2016, within the jurisdiction of the Court, transferred the total sum of One Hundred and Thirty Million denominated in, Naira and US Dollars, (N130,000,000.00) to Nwamba Linus Chukwuebuka, a Building Contractor, which sums formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 (as amended).
Other witnesses who will testify against the defendant include Aminu Ibrahim who is to testify on the search conducted on Defendant’s residence on or about 7/8 October 2016, Ngo Awoikiega will testify on the investigation/ interrogation of the Defendant and Mr. Tanko Nuhu Kutana, an Immigration Officer who will testify on the multiple Diplomatic and Standard Nigerian Passports obtained by the Defendant.
The rest are Ogudu Nwadire, who will testify on how as an Architect to the Defendant between 2014 and 2016, he handled several projects for which he received cash payments totaling $100,000.00, and Nwamba Linus Chukwuebuka on how as a building contractor to the Defendant between 2014 and 2016, he handled several projects for which he received cash payments from the Defendant totaling $1,000,000.00.
It would be recalled that following allegations of corruption against Mr. Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta, the Department of State Services (DSS) commenced investigation into the activities of the above-mentioned defendant. This investigation culminated in the execution of a search warrant in the home of the defendant and following a search of his official residence during on the 8th October 2016, several sums of cash were recovered therefrom including the sum of Thirty-Five Million, Three Hundred and Fifty-Eight Thousand Naira (NGN35,358,000.00) Naira; Three Hundred and Nineteen Thousand, Five Hundred and Ninety- Six United States Dollars ($319,596.00); Twenty-Five Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifteen Pounds Sterling (GBP 25,915) and Two Hundred and Eighty Euros (EURO 280.00). The search also revealed about four Diplomatic passports, one official and two standard Nigerian passports all in the name of the defendant.
Part of the amended charge reads: 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 4th day of January 2016, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, transferred the total sum of One Hundred and Thirty Million denominated in, Naira and US Dollars, (N130,000,000.00) to Nwamba Linus Chukwuebuka, a Building Contractor, which sums formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 (as amended).
COUNT TWO – 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 April 2016, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, transferred the total sum of One Hundred and Sixty Five Million, denominated in Naira and US Dollars, (N165,000,000.00) to Nwamba Linus Chukwuebuka, a Building Contractor, which sums formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 (as amended).
COUNT THREE – 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 April 2016, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, transferred the total sum of One Hundred Million, denominated in Naira and US Dollars, (N100,000,000.00) to Nwamba Linus Chukwuebuka, a Building Contractor, which sums formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 (as amended).
COUNT FOUR – 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 May, 2016, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, transferred the total sum of One Hundred and Ten Million , denominated in Naira and US Dollars, (N110,000,000.00) to Nwamba Linus Chukwuebuka, a Building Contractor, which sums formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 (as amended).
COUNT FIVE – 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 Fifty-Eight Thousand Naira (N35,358,000.00) 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 2012 (as amended).
COUNT SIX – 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 ($319,596.00)Dollars 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 2012 (as amended).
COUNT SEVEN – 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 Section15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 (as amended).
COUNT TWELVE – 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 Standard Nigerian Passports and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 10 (1) (a) of the Immigration Act 2015.
COUNT THIRTEEN – Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta, adult, ‘M’, 65 years, of No. 2 Yellow Houses, Supreme Court Quarters, Off Shehu Shagari Way, Central District, Abuja, FCT, on the 5th day of April 2016, at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowingly made a false statement to the Passport Office concerning the loss of your Standard Nigerian Passport No: A04389985 and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 10 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act.
COUNT FOURTEEN – Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta, adult, male, 65 years, of No. 2 Yellow Houses, Supreme Court Quarters, Off Shehu Shagari Way, Central District, Abuja, FCT, on the 5th day of April 2016, at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, you submitted multiple applications to one or more passport offices with the intention of obtaining multiple Standard Nigerian 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
