SAN FRANCISCO, May 26, (THEWILL) – The sums of money allegedly recovered from the residence of a Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, has revealed a shortfall of N22,160, after a Federal High Court in Abuja order that the money be counted and deposited in the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Justice John Tsoho, before whom Ngwuta is being prosecuted on money laundering and passport fraud charges, disclosed on Friday that while the prosecution claimed to have tendered N35,358,000, the counting witnessed by representatives of the court and parties in the case on Thursday, put the amount actually presented at N35,335,840.
The presiding judge stated this on Friday while informing the court about the report of the counting submitted to him shortly after proceedings commenced.
There were however no discrepancy with the money in other currencies.
THEWILL recalls that the Department of State Services, DSS, had tendered nine bags and boxes containing monies which it said were recovered from the home of the jurist during a raid.
Out of the nine items, eight of them contained naira notes, which a DSS operative, John Utazi said totalled N35, 358, 000. He added that the ninth bag contained £25,915; $319,596; R50; €280; 380 dirhams; and 420 daisies.
