.Granted Bail
It must have been a strange feeling for Supreme Court Justice, Sylvester Ngwuta to change position from bench to the accused box as he was on Monday arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on 16 counts, including money laundering and offences relating to obtaining of multiple passport.
Ngwuta has spent most part of his career on the bench deciding the fate of people, but today his laid in the hands of a junior colleague, Justice John Tsoho, who after considering all the issues granted him bail in the sum of N100million.
The bail sum is to be guaranteed by self-recognisance of the defendant in his capacity as a serving Justice of the Supreme Court. It simply means that Ngwuta would be released on bail after signing a bail bond worth N100m.
The State had opposed the granting of bail. However, Justice Tsoho ruled that the fears expressed by the prosecution about granting bail to the defenant were unfounded.
The lead prosecuting counsel, Mr. Charles Adeogun-Philips had averred that Justice Ngwuta should not be granted bail due to justice’s acts of dishonesty while he was on administrative bail granted him by the Department of State Service.
Justice Tsoho disagreed: “It is my view that it will defeat the essence of justice to prevent the accused from attaining to his bail, with regards to the allegations. I hold the respective view that the offences are bailable.”
The case has been adjourned to December 7 for hearing.
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