A WITNESS in the trial of Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court, on Monday, July 3, told a federal high court, Abuja that the accused used two valid diplomatic passports on foreign trips.

Tanko Nuhu Kutana, an immigration officer attached to the Benue State Command, who gave the evidence, was the third prosecution witness in the trial. The federal government had arraigned Ngwuta over allegation of money laundering and illegal possession of two passports.

The witness was led in evidence by Olufemi Fatunde, the prosecution counsel, who also informed the court that the defendant used two different years, 1951 and 1952 as his date of birth to procure the passports.

Fatunde told Justice John Tsoho, the presiding judge, that it was against the law for Ngwuta to use the two passports. According to him, Ngwuta had on April 5, 2016, written to the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, through the Supreme Court, to report the loss of his passport and was issued a replacement on May 13, 2016.

“When he was issued the 64-page passport in 2014, he continued to use the 64 pages of the new passport interchangeably, he did not return it for cancellation,” he said.

The trial judge adjourned the case until October 6 for cross-examination of the witness.

—  Jul 4, 2017 @ 14:15 GMT