Suspended Supreme Court judge, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, was on Thursday arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Abuja on an amended eight-count charge of false assets declaration.
Ngwuta, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges instituted by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
Counsel of the defendant, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), made an oral application for the bail of his client on self-recognisance.
Chairman of the tribunal, Danladi Umar, granted the bail application and adjourned the case till July 12 for commencement of trial.
The Federal Government, through the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), accuses Ngwuta of contravening Section 15 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
The charge, according to the prosecution, is punishable under Section 23 (2) of the Act.
It would be recalled that Ngwuta is one of the federal judges whose residences were raided by the Department of State Service (DSS) in October 2016 and large sums of money allegedly recovered.
Ngwuta, who was then suspended, is facing trial on that account before a Federal High Court in Abuja, on an amended 16-count charge bordering on money laundering.
The charge, according to the Federal Government, contravenes Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012 (as amended), and it is punishable under Section 15 (3) of the Act.
