The Department of State Services, DSS
said that they are seriously and vigorously investigating some judges on
allegations of unprofessional conduct and fraudulent practices.
The DSS
made this known in a press statement made available to the media on
today in Abuja.
The statement read thus;
“The
Department of State Services (DSS) in the past few days, has embarked
on series of special sting operations involving some Judges of the
Supreme, Appeal and High Courts.
These operations were based on
allegations of corruptions and other acts of professional misconduct by a
few of the suspected Judges. The Service action is in line with its
core mandate, as we 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 were invited, upon which due diligence was exhibited
and their premises searched. 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.
Meanwhile, 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 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.
Meanwhile, large amount including foreign/local currencies have been recovered. Summaries of these include:
SUMMARY OF RECOVERED MONEY
1. NAIRA – N93,558,000.00
2. DOLLARS – $530,087
3. POUNDS – £25,970
4. EURO – €5,680
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 ONNOGHEN 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 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.
Ladies
and gentlemen, this current operation will be sustained and followed
till sanity and sanctity is restored to the esteemed third arm of
government and public confidence is regained.
Members
of the public are also encouraged to avail the Service of any
information which could assist in this drive to rid our nation of
corrupt practices and tendencies.”
Abdullahi GARBA,
Department of State Services, Abuja.
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