More Cash Reportedly Found In Embattled CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen’s Accounts

More Cash Reportedly Found In Embattled CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen’s Accounts

More cash have reportedly been found in the accounts operated by embattled Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen.

The Nation reports that investigations by security agents shows that
a “suspicious” transactions, including an $800,000  Standard Chartered
Bank investment subscription was recently discovered. Also found is
$630,000 lodged in some of the accounts through what is described as
“structured payments” in tranches of $10,000 each.

According to the report, most of the lodgments, effected between 2012
and 2016, were undeclared in Justice Onnoghen’s assets declaration
form, the sources claimed, pleading not to be named because of the
“sensitivity” of the investigation.

The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has restricted  the
operation of five accounts with about $3million The accounts in the
Standard Chartered Bank are USD No. 870001062650; Euro account No.
93001062686; Pound Sterling A/CNo. 285001062679; e-Saver Savings (Naira)
account No. 5001062693; and a  Naira A/C No. 0001062667.

Detectives believe that most of the lodgments and transactions are “suspicious”.

An intelligence report on the CJN’s accounts, released recently reads in part

“Pattern  of structured  payments of $10,000.00 each in 2012. For
example, a total of $630,000.00 was credited to the accounts using this
pattern. Similarly structured payments of $10,000.00 amounting to
$297,800.00, $50,000.00 and $36,000.00 were deposited in the account in
2013, 2015 and 2016 respectively. There was also a credit of $121,116.00
into the account from  2014 to 2016 from Life Friend Plc. The payments
were in four installments, of $30,279.00 each. These payments suggest
the suspect has investments.

“ A payment at $482,966.00 from Alicia Redemption Pro and shortly
after, $800,000.00 was invested in SCB Investment subscription. We are
in the process of verifying these transactions; Other suspicious
transactions in the account are credit of $19,764.00 from Pur of Noble
and seven (7) payments of $3,250.00, each amounting to $22,750.00 from
Lloyds TSB. On the pound sterling (GBP), the investigative team
discovered “a self- transfer of £40,268.40 into the account on May 31
2016. There were also self-deposits by the suspect of £49,760.00 from
July 2015 to September, 2016 but  the balance as at September 30, 2016
was £108,348.00,” the report stated

Regarding the Naira account, the report said

“The following highlights some of the suspicious activities in the
account: A transfer of N41,262.000.00 ($260,000) was made from the
dollar account. The money was used to make payment of N41million to Ad
hoc Committee on the Sale of Federal Government Houses, suggesting that
he bought a property with proceeds of the transfer;

“The only other significant transactions in the accounts are six (6)
structured cash payments of N500,000.00 each and one payment of
N700,000.00 amounting to N3.7mlllion from November, 2013 to August,
2016.

All the transactions, sources said, are being investigated whether or
not they violated the “Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria” which was put in place by the National
Judicial Council.

Sections 7 and 13(4and5) of the Code of Conduct deal with financial interests.

Section  7 reads: “7.1 A Judge shall inform himself or herself about
his or her personal and fiduciary financial interests and shall make
reasonable efforts to be informed about the financial interests of
members of the Judge’s family in respect of matters for adjudication
before him.

“7.2 If it appears in respect of a matter before him or her, that the
Judge, or a member of the Judge’s family or other person in respect of
which the Judge is in a fiduciary relationship, is likely to benefit
financially, the Judge has no alternative but to withdraw from the case.

“7.3 For the purpose of this rule, “Financial interest” includes
ownership of a legal or equitable interest, however small, or a
relationship as director, advisor, or other active participants in the
affairs of an institution or organization. The following are not to be
regarded as financial interests:

1. The proprietary interest of a policy holder in a mutual insurance
   company, unless the outcome of any proceeding could substantially affect
   the value of the interest.
2. Ownership of government securities unless if the outcome of any proceeding could substantially affect the value of the security.

“For the purpose of the Rules contained in this Code –

(a) “fiduciary” includes such relationships as executor, administrator, trustee and guardian;

(b) “financial interest” means ownership in a substantial manner of a
legal or equitable interest, or a relationship as director, adviser or
other active participation in the affairs of a party except that:

(i) ownership in a mutual or common investment fund which holds
securities, unless the Judicial Officer participates in the management
of the fund;

(ii) an officer in an educational, religious, charitable or civil
organization is not a “financial interest” in securities held by the
organization;

(iii) the proprietary interest of a policy holder in a mutual
savings’ society or similar proprietary interest, is a “financial
interest” in the organization only if the outcome of the proceedings
could substantially affect the value of the interest; and

(iv) ownership of government securities is a “financial interest” in
the issues only if the outcome of the proceedings could substantially
affect the value of the securities.”

Section 13.4 and 5 deal with Business and Financial Activities of judges.

Section 13. 4 says: (i) A Judicial Officer may own investments and
real property PROVIDED that in the management of his investments, he
shall not serve as an officer, director, manager, general partner,
adviser or employee of any business entity.

(ii) Otherwise permissible investment or business activities are prohibited if they:

(a) Tend to reflect adversely on judicial impartiality,

(b) Interfere with the proper performance of judicial duties,

(c) Exploit the judicial position; or

(d) Involve the Judicial Officer in frequent transactions with legal
practitioners or with people likely to come before the Judicial
Officer’s court.

13.5 Acceptance of Gifts

A Judicial Officer and members of his family shall neither ask for
nor accept any gift, bequest, favour or loan on account of anything done
or omitted to be done by him in the discharge of his duties.

A Judicial Officer is, however, permitted to accept:

(i) Personal gifts or benefits from relatives or personal friends to
such extent and on such occasions as are recognized by custom.

(ii) Books supplied by publishers on a complimentary basis.

(iii) A loan from lending institution in its regular course of
business on the same terms generally available to people who are not
Judicial Officers;

(iv) A scholarship or fellowship awarded on the same terms applied to other applicants.”

On Tuesday Justice Onnoghen failed to appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal where the matter is been heard.