The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Thursday convicted Walter Onnoghen, suspended chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), on five of the six-count charges preferred against him by the federal government on false asset declaration.
Chairman of the tribunal, Dalandi Umar while delivering judgment on the matter, ordered that Onnoghen be removed from office as CJN and banned from holding public office for 10 years.
Umar also ordered that the money in the five bank accounts of Onnoghen that he did not declare be forfeited to the federal government.
The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) had earlier in the day ruled that it has the jurisdiction to try the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen over alleged false declaration of assets
Chairman of the CCT, Mr. Danladi Umar is currently delivering judgment on the motion challenging the tribunal’s jurisdiction to try the suspended CJN.
The tribunal held that justice Onnoghen is not been charged as a judicial officer but an ordinary public officer and as such the ruling in Ngajiwa versus the federal government does not apply to the tribunal.
He held that the tribunal has jurisdiction to try the defendant and that his prosecution is competent without regards to section 158 subsection 1.
In relation to the previous decision by the tribunal in the trial of a justice of the supreme court the tribunal ruled that it is at liberty to reverse itself especially if that decision was taken with the wrong impression.
According to the tribunal, the interpretation of the section in the last case was too narrow and in other words, the CCT hereby overrule itself in the case of Federal Government vs Nguta.
He concluded by saying the application lacks merit.
More to follow…
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