CJN shuns CCT, queries its jurisdiction, Tribunal adjourns to Jan 22

The change of date for Onnoghen’s arraignment followed argument by the defence counsel that the CJN was not properly served. Lead prosecuting counsel, Mr Aliyu Umar (SAN), conceded that Justice Onnoghen, was not properly served with the summons to appear before the CCT in Abuja on Monday. Umar conceded that the CJN was not personally served with the charges and the court’s summons as required by the law. He, therefore, requested the three-man tribunal led by Danladi Umar to direct a fresh service on the CJN. TheNigerialawyer reports that Onnoghen was absent from Monday’s proceedings scheduled for his arraignment before the CCT on charges of non-declaration of his assets. TheNigerialawyer also reports that 47 Senior Advocates of Nigeria and 55 senior lawyers represented the CJN at the tribunal. The tribunal chairman upon inquiry about Onnoghen’s absence from court, discovered from the defence team, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), that the CJN needed not to be present having filed a motion to challenge the tribunal’s jurisdiction. Olanipekun said he and other defence lawyers only appeared in court in protest against the jurisdiction of the tribunal. Desmond Yamah announces appearance for NBA as an interested party. Tribunal Chair says you are either for Prosecution or Defence..tells him he cannot be on the Record. Mr Yamah insists on being on the Record but Chair overrules him. He also said from the account given by the court official earlier in the proceedings, the CJN was not served with the charges and summons personally, but through his aide. Olanipekun insisted that the law requires that the defendant be personally served. But the prosecuting lawyer said the law only requires the defendant to be aware of the pending charges, and that it was the CJN’s choice to ask his aide to receive the charges and summons on his behalf. After series of argument which lasted for about 45 minutes, the prosecuting counsel conceded that the service of the charges and the summons ought to have been personally served on Onnoghen. “By what the registrar has said, although the defendant was the one who directed his personal assistant to accept service on his behalf and what the law says is that he must be personally served. “We agree that that the service should be properly done. The processes should be served personally on him. “If, after the service is done, and the defendant is not present, we can then argue whether or not he needs to be present on the grounds that he has filed a motion challenging the jurisdiction of the court.” *See the names of the 47 SENIOR ADVOCATES THAT APPEARED FOR ONOGHEN, Nigeria’s CJN, at the CCT today — 14/01/2019. * LIST OF COUNSEL OF THE DEFENDANT/ APPLICANT 1 CHIEF WOLE OLANIPEKUN SAN 2 CHIEF ADEGBOYEGA AWOMOLO SAN 3 KANU AGABI SAN 4 YUSUF ALI SAN 5 CHIEF BAYO OJO SAN 6 DR. ALEX IZIYON SAN 7 CHIEF CHRIS UCHE SAN 8 LUCIUS O. NWOSU SAN 9 CHIEF ASSAM ASSAM SAN 10 ADEBAYO ADELODUN 11 PAUL EROKORO SAN 12 S.I. AMEH SAN 13 R.A. LAWAL-RABANA SAN 14 CHARLES AJUYAH SAN 15 CHIEF SEBASTINE HON SAN 16 NELLA ANDEM-RABANA SAN 17 CHIEF CHUKWUMA EKOMARU SAN 18 OKON EFUT SAN 19 J.U.K. IGWE SAN 20 21 ROTIMI OGUNESO SAN 22 MOGAJI A. MAHMOUD SAN 23 OGWU JAMES ONOJA SAN 24 AKINLOLU KEHINDE SAN 25 JOE ABRAHAM SAN 26 CHUKWUMA MACHUKWU H SAN 27 CHIEF MRS. VICTORIA AWOMOLO SAN 28 TAWO E. TAWO SAN 29 SILVA OGWEMOH SAN 30 ADEDEJI ADERIBIGBE SAN 31 GORDY UHCE SAN 32 CHIEF EDWARD KUNAV ASHIEKAA SAN 33 P.O. OKOLO SAN 34 MUYIWA AKINBORO SAN 35 DR. VALERIE AZINGE SAN 36 OLA OLANIPEKUN SAN 37 WILCOX ABERETON SAN 38 ABDUL IBRAHIM SAN 39 DR. J.Y. MUSA SAN 40 KEHINDE OGUNWUMIJU SAN 41 OBA MADUABUCHI SAN 42 OLUBOWALE TAIWO SAN 43 STEPHEN ADEHI SAN 44 DR. GARBA YEYENKI SAN 45 CHIEF SOLO AKUMA SAN 46 BERY IGWILLO SAN 47 CHIEF OFFIONG OFFIONG SAN]]>