Justice of the Supreme Court whose home was raided by operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS), Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, has alleged that he was being victimized for refusing entreaties, at various times, to help the All Progressives Congress (APC), win governorship election cases involving Ekiti, Rivers and Ebonyi states.
His claim came barely three days after Justice John Inyang Okoro, also a Supreme Court Judge,alleged that former Rivers Governor and now transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi, reached out to him over election appeal cases for Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia States.
Justice Ngwuta in a letter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), specifically mentioned Amaechi and Minister of Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, as two top APC leaders who approached him.
Justice Ngwuta, disclosed in a letter dated October 18 and addressed to CJN, Mahmud Mohammed and the National Judicial Council (NJC).
The letter is entitled: “Invasion Of My House In The Night, Planting Of Huge Sums Of Money In Different Currencies, Purported Recovery Of The Money, Carting Away Of My Documents And Other Valuable Items And My Subsequent Abduction By Masked Operatives Of The DSS Between Friday, October 7th And Saturday, October 8th, 2016”.
In it, Ngwuta said Ameachi begged him to facilitate the removal of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State.
He further stated that shortly after the Supreme Court affirmed the election of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Amaechi also called him on phone and said “Oga is not happy”.
Meanwhile, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi Media Office has response to Hon. Justice Ngwuta allegations.
Read: Our attention has been drawn to the allegations leveled against Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation, by Supreme Court Justice, The Honourable Justice Sylvester Ngwuta. In response we state that:
- The Hon. Justice Ngwuta’s allegation as it concerns Amaechi is nothing but pure fiction, a dubious diversionary tale concocted to muddle the very serious issues of his arrest and investigation by the Department of State Services (DSS).
- For emphasis, we want to state categorically that Amaechi did not and has never tried to lobby, induce or make the Hon. Justice Ngwuta to influence the outcome of any matter before the Supreme Court or any other court. The Hon. Justice Ngwuta’s narrative as it concerns Amaechi is simply not true, an unadulterated fallacy design to deceive and distract from the real issues of DSS investigation of acts of corruption against him.
- It’s indeed very sad and most unfortunate that the Hon. Justice Ngwuta had decided to drag the name of the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), into his fabricated allegations. Again, We make bold to state that Amaechi did not and has never lobbied, approached or attempted to make the CJN or any other Justice of the apex court to influence the Supreme Court judgment on the Rivers State and Ekiti State Governorship Elections petition appeals or any other matter before the apex court or any other court.
- Within a space of 48 hours, we have observed a carefully planned and coordinated political attempt to drag Amaechi into the DSS arrest and investigation of judges in Nigeria. The aim of the plot is two-fold: to smear and politically destroy the image and reputation of Amaechi, and deceitfully portray him as the person behind the arrest of judges. This is indeed most ridiculous and callous.
- We are aware of a well timed, heavily funded plot to “take out” Amaechi politically, and it appears that Justice Ngwuta and Justice Inyang Okoro (of the Supreme Court, who had also made similar made-up allegations against Amaechi), have wittingly or unwittingly been conscripted into this devious politics of “destroy Amaechi by all means.”
- Amaechi is not and cannot be behind the arrest and investigation of the Hon. Justice Ngwuta. He should kindly leave Amaechi alone and face the issues he has with the DSS.
- Amaechi is talking with his lawyers and will explore lawful channels to seek redress for this gross defamation against his character and person.
