A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted a N100 million bail to justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to a 16-count criminal charge preferred against him by the Federal Government.
Justice Ngwuta, who was docked before trial Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, denied allegations that he was involved in money laundering.    
Although prosecution counsel Charles Philip had opposed his bail application on ground that the defendant has the capacity to jump bail and interfere with witnesses and evidence if released, Justice Tsoho in his ruling held that the DSS have deposed to an affidavit of completion of investigation, and that there was therefore no basis for the prosecution to express any fear that the defendant would interfere with witnesses or evidence.
Justice Tsoho held  further that although the prosecution cited several cases on the behaviour and conduct of the defendant during investigation, “the court was however not told that the administrative bail earlier granted the defendant by the DSS was revoked and as such, there is no ground before the court to indicate that the defendant will jump bail.”
 
The court further held that the prosecution was not consistent in its numerous claims that the defendant will evade trial, adding that the same prosecution had established that all the traveling documents of the defendant had been seized and that they have been keeping an eye on his movement.
 
Justice Ngwuta, who arrived the court at about 8:15 am, was dressed in a blue suit and looked calm before the commencement of proceedings.
Immediately after his plea of not guilty was taken, prosecution counsel, Charles Adeogun-Philips, informed the court that one of his witnesses was present and willing to immediately commence his Evidence-In-Chief.
But counsel to Ngwuta, Chief Kanu Agabi, asked the court to release the justice on bail pending the hearing and determination of the case against him.

Agabi, who is a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, contended that the charge against his client contained bailable offences.
Justice Ngwuta was among seven superior court judges that were arrested between October 7 and 8, after the DSS raided their homes in a sting operation.
He was alleged to have among other offences, stashed foreign currencies in his Abuja home.
The federal government said the DSS, at the end of the search operation conducted at Ngwuta’s official residence, recovered several sums of cash, including the sum of Thirty-Five Million, Three Hundred and Fifty-Eight Thousand Naira (NGN35, 358,000.00); Three Hundred and Nineteen Thousand, Five Hundred and Ninety- Six United States Dollars ($319,596.00). As well as Twenty-Five Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifteen Pounds Sterling (GBP 25,915) and Two Hundred and Eighty Euros (EURO 280.00).
The search also revealed about four diplomatic passports, one official and two standard Nigerian passports all in the name of the defendant.
The government told the court that the DSS executed a search warrant at Justice Ngwuta’s home on October 8, following a series of allegations of corruption that were levelled against him.
The case has been adjourned to December 7 and 8 for trial.