CCT: Tribunal Orders CJN Onnoghen To Defend Charges Against Him

CCT: Tribunal Orders CJN Onnoghen To Defend Charges Against Him

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has rejected the no-case
submission made in his trial by suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria
(CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen.  

CCT Tribunal Chairman, Danladi Umar, in a ruling, said the
prosecution has provided sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie
case against the defendant to warrant his being called to enter his
defence.  

Umar referred to a confessional statement made by the defendant in
which he admitted omitting to declare the five domiciliary accounts he
has been operating in Standard Chartered Bank since 20009.

The CCT Chairman said the confessional statement was sufficient to
warrant the tribunal to ask the defendant to enter his defence if he has
any.  Umar rejected the no-case submission and ordered the defendant to
enter a defence against the six-count charge of non-declaration of
assets brought against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

Proceedings in the tribunal later went rowdy when after concluding
his ruling, Umar adjourned to Monday (April 1, 2019) for the defendant
to open his defence.  Many lawyers in the defence team shouted in
protest when Umar ignored appeals by lead defence lawyer, Adegboyega
Awomolo (SAN) that April 1 was too short for the defendant to adequately
prepare for his defence.  

While Awomolo was still on his feet, asking the tribunal Chairman to
allow the defendant sufficient time to prepare, Umar stood up and walked
away, leaving other members of the tribunal to scamper after him. A
dejected Awomolo accused Umar of oppressing the defence. As Umar and the
two other members of the tribunal walked away, Awomolo said: “If this
is justice, then, God bless Nigeria.”