DSS discovers 15 exotic cars in judge's house

Operatives of the Department of State
Services (DSS) have begun to extract
information from some of the arrested
judges
– It has been learnt that some of the
judges’ lifestyle and their love for opulence
actually played roles in their arrest
– One of such judges is said to live in a
palatial residence with imported furniture
and also has a fleet of 15 cars

When officials of the Department of State
Services (DSS) stormed the official
residence of one of the seven judges raided
recently, they found a fleet of 15 exotic cars
including a Rolls Royce.
Rolls-Royce Limited is a British car-
manufacturing and, later, aero-engine
manufacturing company founded by Charles
Stewart Rolls and Sir Frederick Henry Royce
on 15 March 1906 as a result of a
partnership formed in 1904


Its latest cars cost at least over N100
million depending on the brand and the
exchange rate of the naira to a dollar.
The same judge whose name is being
shielded, according to The Nation, reportedly
was said to have hired a notable
construction firm to build his palatial home.
He also imported furniture from Brazil,
Argentina and Spain.
Judges are supposed to be public servants
with salaries also determined by the rules,
but this particular judge is said to be proud
of his property as he once conducted his
colleagues round the mansion.
“Operatives have discovered that one of the
judges owns a mansion which was contracted
to a construction firm at a huge cost. In fact,
the judge imported furniture from Brazil,
Argentina and Spain.

“At a stage, he conducted his ‘poor
colleagues’ round the mansion in an open
display of affluence. The judge has about 15
cars, including a Rolls Royce. This Rolls Royce
was imported.
“During interrogation, another judge told DSS
team that he did not know how and when N18
million was lodged in his account because he
was not getting alert from his bank. But we
have evidence of withdrawals from the
account.
“We have retrieved the assets declaration
forms of these judges. It was shocking that
one of them has three asset declaration forms
with different dates of birth,” the report
quoted a source as saying.
In his confessional statement, one of the
seven judges arrested reportedly told the
DSS that he did not know how N18 million
got into his account. He also denied getting
an alert that would have made him complain
to the bank.
One other judge said the money found in his
account was an accumulated medical
allowance.
While the judges have continued to make
useful information to the operatives, the
government seems to have foreclosed their
return to their profession as it is believed
they cannot be facing trial and still be in the
adjudicating cases.
In a string operation recently, the secret
operatives stormed the homes of Justices
Sylvester Ngwuta and Inyang Okoro, the
suspended presiding justice of the Court of
Appeal, Ilorin division, Justice Mohammed
Ladan Tsamiya, who was picked up in
Sokoto; Justice Adeniyi Ademola (Federal
High Court); the Chief Judge of Enugu state,
Justice I. A. Umezulike; Justice Kabiru Auta
of Kano state High Court; and Justice Muazu
Pindiga (Gombe state High Court).

The source further told disclosed that the
government has asked the National Judicial
Council (NJC) to suspend the affected
judges pending the outcome of their trial.
“The position of the government is that none
of these judges will be allowed back to the
bench in the interest of the nation’s Judiciary.
They cannot be arraigned in the dock and at
the same time be adjudicating or attending to
cases.
“It is left to the NJC to allow the affected
judges to keep off the bench until their fate is
determined. But certainly, they will face trial
and the outcome will determine whether or not
they will be retired or dismissed.
“We are expecting the NJC to do the needful
by suspending the judges,” he said.