Walter Onnoghen, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) was absent as the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) resumed his trial in Abuja on Tuesday.
Onnoghen is being tried for alleged false declaration of assets.
He was absent in the court last week but his counsel argued he had not been served summons to appear before the court.
He was subsequently served summons days after, although an FCT high court had already ruled against his trial.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Samuel Onnoghen is, again,
absent at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) as the tribunal resumes
sitting in the case of non-declaration of assets against him.
When the case was called, the tribunal official announced that the defendant was not in court.
Prosecution
counsel, Aliyu Umar (SAN) thereafter, said the business of the day was
for the arraignment and the hearing of the two applications from the
prosecution and the defendant.
He said the prosecution’s
application was asking for an order directing that the defendant step
down as the CJN and chairman of NJC while the defendant’s application
was challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal.
“It is obvious
that arraignment can not take place because the defendant is not in
court. Last time, the tribunal could not proceed because there was no
proper service on the defendant,” he said.
Responding, Wole
Olanipekun (SAN), who led over 30 other senior advocates as the CJN’s
counsel, said the record of the tribunal shows that the matter was
adjourned to today for hearing of the motions.
He said there have been a lot of intervening factors since the last sittings.
He
said there have been some orders from the Federal High Court, Abuja,
adding that the life span has been further extended to January 28.
Source:- Dailytrustng
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