CCT Orders Forfeiture of Money in Onnoghen’s Account

The Code of Conduct Tribunal on Thursday ordered the forfeiture of all money in the account of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, which he did not declare.

Delivering Judgment , Justice Danladi Umar,  also banned Onnoghen from holding any public office for ten years.

The CCT has ordered the removal of  Onnoghen as CJN and as chairman National Judicial Council.

NAN reports that Onnoghen, who was Nigeria’s 17th Chief Justice, was arraigned by the Code of Conduct Bureau, following a petition brought against him by a group, the Anti-Corruption and Research Based Data Initiative, headed by a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Enugu State, Denis Aghanya.

Onnoghen was charged on six counts, for allegedly failing to declare some of his accounts in the asset declaration form submitted to the CCB in December, 2016.

According to the charge, Onnoghen also failed to declare his assets after the expiration of his declaration form filled in 2005.

NAN reports that Onnoghen’s trials started when a petition was filed by the civil rights group at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) alleging that he owns ” sundry accounts primarily funded through cash deposits made by himself up to as recently as Aug. 10, 2016, which appear to have been run in a manner inconsistent with financial transparency and the code of conduct for public officials.”

The trial commenced on Jan, 14, 2019 at Code of Conduct Tribunal but Onnoghen was absent

The case was then adjourned to the following week because Onnoghen faulted the summons procedure.

The next hearing was slated for Jan. 22, 2019 but he failed to show up in court again.

Following his absence again, President Muhammadu Buhari suspended him on Jan. 26 and appointed Tanko Ibrahim as acting Chief Justice of Nigeria. (NAN)