Nigeria Amends The Charge Against Justice Ngwuta

The Federal Government on Wednesday amended the charge against Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court, raising the counts from six to 14.

He is charged with money laundering, making a false claim about his age, possession of more than one diplomatic and standard Nigerian Passports, among others.

Although similar allegation were contained in the earlier charge, more information about certain transactions and funds transfers are contained in the amended charge, a copy of which The Nation sighted late Wednesday.

The charge was filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja by officials of the Federal Ministry of Justice.

Some of the new counts as contained in counts one to six, are as follows:

Count 1

Statement of offence

Money laundering, contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act

Particulars of offence

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 2

Statement of offence

Money laundering, contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act

Particular of offence

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 3

Statement of offence

Money laundering, contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act

Particulars of offence

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 4

Statement of offence

Money laundering, contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.

Particulars of offence

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 5

Statement of offence

Money laundering, contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.

Particulars of offence

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 6

Statement of offence

Money laundering, contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act

Particulars of offence

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).