Justice Inyang Okoro has alleged that the Department of State Services (DSS) raided his home because he refused to be bought over by Rotimi Ameachi in the Akwa Ibom governorship election case.
In a four page letter Justice Okoro
wrote to NJC indicting Umana O. Umana and Rotimi Amaechi of bribery deals.
A few days
back (DSS) raided the homes of Justices of
the Supreme Court and Judges of High Courts it accused of “corruption” and
“professional misconduct” in parts of the country.
Several houses belonging to justices
were stormed by security officials in Abuja, Rivers and Gombe states, with some
of the judicial officers taken into custody.
The security operatives raided the
Abuja residences of Justices Sylvester Ngwuta, John Inyang Okoro of the Supreme
Court, and whisked them away.
They also picked Justice Adeniyi
Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja at his Apo Legislative Quarters home
and searched the house of another Abuja Federal High Court Judge, Justice
Nnamdi Dimgba.
In Gombe, the operatives whisked
away Justice Mu’azu Pindiga of the state High Court.
Here are the letters
Justice Okoro
writes NJC indicts @UmanaOUmana and @RotimiAmaechi
of bribery deals. It's a shame to @APCNigeria pic.twitter.com/MORXHN6wkR
Justice John Inyang Okoro wrote a letter to the Nigeria Judicial Council. He is one of the judges in the Department of State Services (DSS) raid.
Here are ten things he said in the
four page letter.
1.
The Department of State Security searched all the rooms in the house
meticulously and took away the following items:
·
One(1) I Pad
·
Three phones( only one active)
·
USD 38,800( thirty eight thousand, eight hundred dollars)
·
N3.5 ( Three million, five hundred thousand naira)
·
Cheque books (Four in number)
2. He was made to open the door
after a phone call alleging he has a letter from the president
"On
Friday, the 7th day of October 2016, at about 9.00 P.M, I received a phone call
from an unfamiliar caller. He introduced himself as an official from the
Presidency. He told me he had a letter for me from Mr. President...Upon the
door being opened, I saw so many heavily armed men with an inscription, “DSS”
on their uniform."
3.
" Also, the DSS operatives informed me that their Director- General wanted
to see me that night. I requested to visit their office upon the break of the
day but they refused."
4.
Explaining the money found in his house justice Okoro said:
"I told them that having
received the sum of USD24,000( Twenty four thousand dollars) and £10,000 ( Ten
thousand pounds) a year for the past three years of my sojourn in the
court as annual medical/ vacation allowances, and having not spent more than
£5,000( Five thousand pounds) on each of three trips I have so far made abroad.
I was entitled to have more than the amount recovered from me."
5.
He said he has not been confronted with any petition
"My Lord, as at the time of
writing this report, the DSS has not confronted me with any petition or
complaint from any quarters whatsoever. Rather, they have grilled me, asking
questions on some none existing properties around the country."
6. "They have also
doubted the age of my children alleging that they are toddlers. This is sad and
unbelievable."
7. He alleged that
failing to cooperate with Rotimi Ameachi was why he was fingered.
"Mr. Amecahi said
All Progressive Congress mandated him to inform me that they must win
their election Appeals in respect of Rivers State, Akwa Ibom State and Abia
State at all costs."
8. Rotimi Ameachi Sponsored the Akwa Ibom candidate Umana
O. Umana
"For Akwa Ibom State, he
alleged that he sponsored Mr. Umana Umana, candidate of All Progressive
Congress for the election and if he lost Akwa Ibom appeal, he would have lost a
fortune."
9. Umana will pay him millions
"Mr. Ameachi also said that he
had already visited you and that you had agreed to make me a member of the
panel that would hear the appeals. He further told me that Mr. Umana would be
paying me millions of Naira monthly if I co-operated with them."
10 . Justice Okoro said he
reported the issue of Ameachi's bribery attempt to the CJN
""I strongly believe that
my travail is not undermined but with the verbal report I made to you on 7th
February, 2016 about the visit to my official residence by Honourable Rotimi
Amaechi, former Governor of Rivers State and now Minister of Transportation.
Tags
Politics