Nigeria files 6 charges against Supreme Court justice

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) - A Nigerian Supreme Court justice has been charged with alleged money laundering, age falsification and unlawful possession of multiple diplomatic passports, weeks after the he was arrested alongside six other colleagues.

The office of the country’s attorney general late Tuesday filed a six-count charge against Justice Sylvester Ngwuta at a federal high court in the capital city Abuja but no date has been slated for the hearing of the case.

Along with six others, Ngwuta had had his home raided in early October by secret police which said the action was to rid the judiciary of corruption - a campaign promise of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Ngwuta, is accused of violating the provisions of the country's anti-money laundering laws.

He is also accused of “intentionally” falsifying his age as well as possessing multiple diplomatic passports.

Last week, the National Judicial Council directed the judges to stand down from all cases they were handling pending conclusion of the cases against them