Judge blames DSS ordeal on Amaechi

• ‘I was approached to help APC in Rivers, Abia, A’Ibom’

 

Justice Inyang Okoro

Another ranking judge recently arrested by operative of the Department of State Services (DSS) on allegations of corruption, Justice Inyang Okoro, of the Supreme Court, has come out with explanation regarding the circumstances of his arrest. Okoro alleged that it was the consequence of his refusal to bow to the entreaties of the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, to “help” on the Akwa Ibom election matter.

 

Justice Okoro is the second arrested judge to explain his side of the story, the first being Justice Adeniyi Ademola, who, at the weekend, accused the Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, of orchestrating his ordeal in the hands of the DSS.

 

In a four-page letter addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, dated October 17, 2016, the senior judge recounted how both Amaechi and all Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2015 gubernatorial election in Akwa Ibom state, Hon. Umana Umana, visited him to request for his assistance for a favourable judgment.

 

He said, aside seeking explanation for the N3.5 million and $38,000 found in his house, the DSS operatives also grilled him “on some none (sic) existing properties around the country”.

 

Justice Okoro, however, said he was not confronted with any petition or accusation against him.

 

Justifying his possession of the money found on him, the judge explained that it was a balance from his estacodes for the past three years. He also explained that as a Justice of the Supreme Court, he was entitled to $24,000 and £10,000 every year in medical and vacation allowances, adding he had not spent more than £5,000 in the three trips he undertook during the period.

 

Justice Okoro, therefore, submitted that his ordeals must have been the result of his refusal to help the All Progressives Congress (APC) to take the governorship seats in Abia, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers states.

 

“My Lord, I strongly believe that my travail is not unconnected with the verbal report I made to you on 1st February, 2016 about the visit to my official residence by H/E Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers state and now Minister of Transportation.

 

“In that report, I told, you my Lord, that Mr. Amaechi said that the President of Nigeria and the All Progressives 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.

 

“For Akwa Ibom state, he alleged that he sponsored Mr. Umana Umana, candidate of All Progressives Congress for that election and that if he lost Akwa Ibom appeal he would have lost a fortune. Mr. Amaechi also said that he had already visited you and 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 cooperated with them. My response, as I told you on that date, was that it does not lie within my power to grant his request and that I would do all within my power not to be in the panel for Akwa Ibom state. My Lord graciously left me out of the panel for Akwa Ibom state. That notwithstanding, the All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom state, which lost the appeal at the Supreme Court believe that my presence in the Supreme Court made them to lose the appeal,” he wrote.

 

The senior judge asked the CJN to recall his stance on corruption in the Judiciary, saying he does not only condemn the malpractice, but also it eschew corruption he started his career as a magistrate.

Justice Okoro urged the CJN to disregard what he called “lies and media campaign orchestrated by those who felt I purposely refused to help them win their election appeals in the Supreme Court”.