From Godwin Tsa, Abuja

Barring any last minute change, the Federal Government will, today, arraign Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court on a 14-count corruption charge before Justice John Tsoho of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.
The office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice had initially filed a nine-count corruption charge against the 65-year-old jurist of the apex court, before increasing it to 14 –counts.
During the course of his trial, he will be confronted with video and documentary evidence including a search warrant; cash recovered from the defendant’s residence; video compact discs (CDs) of his  interview; his statement of  October 12, 17, 24, 25 and 27, as well as statements of all the witnesses made from November 7 to 13.
Others  exhibits include house upkeep and project account by Ogudu Nwadire, photographs search at his house, NIS database printouts of Ngwuta’s e-passport (both standard and diplomatic); his travel history, sworn affidavit submitted by him prior to renewal/cancellation of any of his passports; e-official/diplomatic passport data form, bill of costs and order of payment from Base 4 Services Ltd.,    by Nwamba Linus Chukwuebuka, pictures of houses under construction belonging to Ngwuta.
In addition, the prosecution has lined-up five witnesses to prove its case against him.
They are Aminu N Ibrahim, who is to testify on the search conducted on the defendant’s residence on or about 7/8 October; Ngo Awoikiega, who will testify on the investigation/ interrogation of the defendant. Others are Mr. Tanko Nuhu Kutana, an immigration officer who will testify on the multiple diplomatic and standard Nigerian passports obtained by the defendant.
While Ogudu Nwadire will testify as to how as an Architect to the defendant between 2014 and 2016, he handled several projects for which he received cash payments totalling $100,000, another prosecution witness, Nwamba Linus Chukwuebuka will testify on how, as a building contractor to the defendant between 2014 and 2016, he handled several projects for which he received cash payments from Ngwuta totalling $1,000,000.
In the amended charge marked FHC/ABJ/C/232 and signed Hajara H. Yusuf, a Principal State Counsel, and filed pursuant to Sections 104 and 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, Justice Ngwuta was alleged to have, among other offences, stashed foreign currencies in his Abuja, official residence.
Large sums of money in different currencies including N35,358,000, $319,596, as well £25,915 and 28 euro, were alleged to be recovered from his official residence by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), at the end of a search operation conducted at Ngwuta’s official residence.
The amended charge, which raised fresh allegations of money laundering involving N505 million against Justice Ngwuta said the money forms part of proceeds of his “unlawful” activities.
Specifically, Justice Ngwuta was alleged to have transferred N505 million, “denominated in naira and dollars” to a building contractor between January and May 2016.
He was also alleged to have transferred N130 million to Nwamba Linus Chukwuebuka, a building contractor, on January 4, 2016.
In addition, the charge further  accused Justice Ngwuta of transferring N165 million to Chukwuebuka “on or about April 2016” and another N100 million to the building contractor “on or about” the same period.
Justice Ngwuta, the charge further read, also transfered N110 million to the same person “on or about May, 2016, bringing the total money transferred to the building contractor by him within the five-month period to N505 million.
The alleged offences, contained in the first four counts of the amended charges were said to be 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.
Besides money, the charge further disclosed that about four diplomatic passports, one official and two standard Nigerian passports, all in his name, were also recovered by the DSS team.
In the proof of evidence accompanying the charge, the prosecution told the court  that the DSS executed a search warrant at Justice Ngwuta’s home on  October 8, following series corruption allegation that were levelled against him.
Meanwhile, a DSS official who handled the investigation, Bamai Abu Nehemiah has already deposed an affidavit of completion of investigation into the case.