DESPITE stiff opposition from the Federal Government, the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, released Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court on bail to the tune of N100 million
Ngwuta secured bail on a day he was docked on a 16-count criminal charge bordering on money laundering, age falsification and illegal possession of multiple international passports, contrary to Section 10 (1) (a) of the Immigration Act 2015. Trial Justice James Tsoho said he released the accused jurist on bail, in view of his status as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He said there was nothing before the court to show that Ngwuta had in any way breached the administrative bail earlier given to him by the Department of State Services, DSS. This came on a day Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, lamented that corrupt practices were exposing the Judiciary to criticisms and asked judges to align with President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-graft war. I’m not guilty
—Ngwuta Justice Ngwuta had shortly after he pleaded not guilty to all the charges, begged the court to grant him bail on self-recognition, pending the hearing and determination of the case against him. Addressing the court through his lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, the defendant insisted that charges against him were bailable offences. Agabi, a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, predicated the bail request on sections 32, 158 and 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, as well as Section 35 (1) of the 1999 constitution, as amended. Ngwuta’s bail application was supported by a 14-paragraph affidavit that was deposed to by one Enoh Abasi Eboh.







