The Department of State Services (DSS)
has recovered the estimated sum of N271,740,326.07
from three judges arrested at the weekend across the nation, reports ITRealms.
DSS said this recovery was made in
what agency described as special sting operations involving some Judges of the Supreme,
Appeal and High Courts, cutting across N93,558,000.00; $530,087 about N166,072,038.37; £25,970
about N10,117,032.18; and €5,680
about N1,993,255.52.
Official of the Department of State
Services, Abuja, Abdullahi Garba, told ITRealms on Saturday during a press
conference that these operations were based on allegations of corruptions and
other acts of professional misconduct by a few of the suspected Judges.
DSS action, he said, was in line with
its core mandate, as they have been monitoring the expensive and luxurious
lifestyle of some of the Judges as well as complaints from the concerned public
over judgment obtained fraudulently and on the basis amounts of money paid.
The judges involved, Garba said, were
invited, upon which due diligence was exhibited and their premises searched,
noted the searches have uncovered huge raw cash of various denominations, local
and foreign currencies, with real estate worth several millions of Naira and
documents affirming unholy acts by these Judges.
He also told ITRealms, some of them
have made useful statements while a few have declined even with the glaring
evidences that were found against them in terms of material cash, documents and
property recovered pointing to their compromise.
In one of the States, DSS said, where
the Service operations were conducted, credible intelligence revealed that the
Judge had Two Million United States Dollars ($2,000,000 USD) stashed in his
house. When he was approached for due search to be conducted, he in concert
with the State Governor, mobilized thugs against the Service team. The team
restrained itself in the face of unbridled provocative activities by those
brought in by the Governor. Unfortunately, the Judge and Governor also engaged
the tacit support of a sister security agency.
“The Service surveillance team noticed
that upon frustrating the operation, the Judge with the active support of the
Governor craftily moved the money to an unknown location which the Service is
currently making effort to unravel,” he said.
Meanwhile, large amount including
foreign, and local currencies have been recovered.
Other foreign currencies were also
recovered. This were recovered from just three (3) of the judges.
These in addition to other banking
documents, including real estate documents have been recovered. Meanwhile
preparations are ongoing to arraign them in a competent court of jurisdiction
in line with the laws of the nation.
The Service would want to clearly
state that it has never invited Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghene for
investigation, neither is he being investigated by this Service. In addition
the Service would like to put it on record, that it has tremendous respect for
the Judiciary and would not do anything to undermine it or its activities.
The Service, Garba said, will also
join hands with this noble institution in its fight to rid it of few corrupt
Judges whose actions is undermining not only the Judiciary but the common bond
of our national life.
This current operation, DSS explained will
be sustained and followed till sanity and sanctity is restored to the esteemed
third arm of government and public confidence is regained.
Remmy Nweke/ED, Ops
ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!
.JPG "Prof Agbo receiving the entries from Chief Mrs Akande")
