The Code of Conduct Tribunal has blame the Federal Government for delays in the trial of a Supreme Court Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, saying the prosecution has not been diligent in the handling of the case.
The tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar, and member, William Atedze Agwadza, noted that all the adjournments that the case had suffered since when it was initiated last year had been caused by the prosecution.
They said this while reacting to the prosecution’s request for an adjournment on Wednesday.
However, they gave the prosecution the last chance and adjourned till February 20.
Justice Ngwuta is being prosecuted on eight counts filed on March 21, 2017.
The prosecution accused him of contravening the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act by allegedly failing to declare some of his assets, including 28 plots of land, which he allegedly refused to declare to the CCB between June 2, 2011 and July 19, 2016.
The prosecution further alleged that Justice Ngwuta, within the same period engaged in the purchase and sale of rice, palm oil and other related products, while being a justice of the Supreme Court.
It also claimed the judge owns five cars, which he allegedly kept away from the CCB.
Ngwuta was among high-ranking judicial officers mopped up in a sting operation by the Department of State Security in 2016, when President Muhammadu Buhari was always emphasising the headache the judiciary was giving him in his fight against corruption.