CCT gives FG nod to dock Justice Ngwuta on fresh 10-count charge

The Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, in Abuja, has  slated April 20 for the Federal Government to arraign Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court on fresh 10-count corruption charge

. Justice Ngwuta will be docked before a two-man panel of the CCT to be headed by its Chairman, Justice Danladi Umar. Head of Press & Public Relations at the tribunal, Mr. Ibraheem Al-Hassan, confirmed in a statement, yesteday, that the embattled jurist was served copy of the CCT summons,Tuesday. Specifically, Ngwuta who is facing another 18-count criminal charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja, was in the instant charge,  accused of engaging in private business as a public officer, contrary to Section 6(b) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act. The Federal Government alleged that he refused to declare his assets as a public officer contrary to Section 15 of the Code of Conduct Bureau Act, Cap C15 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 23(2) of the same Act. Part of the charges against him includes that “between 2nd June 2011 and 19th July 2016 while serving as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Tribunal, did make a false declaration of assets” to the CCB when he failed to declare three duplexes at Chinedu Ogah Avenue, Ntezi, Aba in Abakaliki, while being a Justice of the Supreme Court. Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court He was alleged to have between June 2, 2011 and July 19, 2016, while serving as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria made a false declaration to the CCB when he failed to declare twenty-two plots of land at Chief Igwe Uga Avenue, Abakaliki, as well as failed to declare six plots of land at Frank Okoroafor Avenue, Abakaliki. Other allegations was that Ngwuta failed to declare Peugeot Saloon with Vehicle No: VRG55513890295200 and Chassis No: VF34B5FV9BS069213, Registration No: ABC566RL and count five revealed that he failed to declare a Wrangler Jeep with Vehicle No: VRG55535620346898 and Chassis No: IJ4GA591581626734, Registration No: RSH526AJ. FG alleged that he engaged in purchase and sale of rice, palm oil and other related products, while being a Justice of the Supreme Court and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 of the Code Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap C15 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 23(2) of the same Act. Ngwuta was among seven superior court Judges that were arrested after a “sting operation” the Department of State Service, DSS, conducted between October 7 and 8, 2016.