UPDATED: Tribunal Bars Onnoghen From Holding Public Office For 10 Years And Monies In His Five Accounts Confiscated

Reading the lead judgment, the tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar, ordered the immediate removal of Onnoghen from office as the CJN. The Tribunal also stripped him of all offices earlier occupied, such as the Chairman of the National Judicial Council and also the chairmanship of the Federal Judicial Service Commission. The tribunal also ordered the forfeiture of the five accounts which defendant failed to declare as part of his assets. The tribunal also ordered the forfeiture of the money in the five accounts which Onnoghen failed to declare to the Federal Government.

Three punishments were imposed on him as the sentence for his offences as charged. Although Onnoghen had been on suspension since January 25, 2019 and had reportedly resigned on April 4, the tribunal ordered his removal from office as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and also as the chairman of both the National Judicial Council and the Federal Judicial Service Commission.

Reading the judgment of the three-man bench, its chairman, Danladi Umar, also ordered the forfeiture of the funds in the five bank accounts which the defendant was said to have failed to declare as part of his assets in breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers. Onnoghen was convicted on the six counts preferred against him. Specifically, the Federal Government, acting through the Code of Conduct Bureau, had, in the charges filed on January 11, accused Onnoghen in the first count of failure to declare his assets to the bureau between June 2005 and December 14, 2016.

In the rest of the five counts, the defendant was alleged to have falsely declared his assets on December 14, 2016, by allegedly omitting to declare his domiciliary dollar, euro and pound sterling-denominated accounts, as well as his two naira accounts, all maintained with the Standard Chattered Bank (Nig.) Ltd. Before passing the sentence, the tribunal chairman noted that Onnoghen, who only called one witness, failed to dispute the evidence of the three prosecution witnesses.

He said, “The tribunal, having considered the case of the prosecution and documents tendered without objection, find the exhibits tendered worthy of consideration. “The evidence of Prosecution Witness 1, Prosecution Witness 2 and Prosecution Witness 3 was not disputed.

“The statement of the defendant made in his handwriting alluding to forgetfulness to declare the five accounts is enough to hold that the defendant clearly contravened the Code of Conduct for Public Officer.”

Convicting the erstwhile CJN, the tribunal chairman said, “Having regard to Section 23(2) of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and Bureau Act, the defendant has clearly contravened the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and he is here by convicted.” ………………………….

1: 44: Breaking: Walter Onnoghen was also banned from office for 10 years and the money in his five accounts confiscated 1: 42 pm: CCT finds Justice Walter Onnoghen guilty of the contravention of the provision of code of conduct of public officers. He is threfore removed as the Chief justice of Nigeria and chairman of the NJC.

1:38 PM: The chairman of Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, who is reading the lead judgment, has identified the following as the exhibits tendered by the prosecution against Justice Walter Onnoghen.

The petition written by the Executive Director, Anti-Corruption and Research-Based Data Initiative, Mr. Dennis Aghanya Forms CCB 1 submitted by Onmoghen to the Code of Conduct Bureau. Account opening package of Onnoghen’s five accounts with the Standard Chattered Bank. Statements of the five bank accounts.

12:27pm Tribunal also held that all judges of courts of superior records are appointed by the President, and that does not mean that they are under the president.

* CCT dismisses Onnoghen’s prelim suit challenging its jurisdiction

The CCT has dismissed the preliminary objection filed by Justice Onnoghen to challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal.

The CCT has also dismissed the application by the former CJN accusing the tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar, to withdraw from further presiding over the trial on the grounds of bias. The tribunal is now delivering judgment on the merit of the five counts.

12: 50pm: Tribunal held that the Chairman can not recuse himself from the trial, as its finds him competent. Tribunal also held that all judges of courts of superior records are appointed by the President, that does not mean that they are under the president.

12: 30 pm: Tribunal upholds its Jurisdiction, stating that the defendant is not being charged as a judicial officer but as a public officer. Chairman of the tribunal held that the constitutional powers of the Code of Conduct Bureau shall not be subject to any body of the NJC.

12: 20pm: Chairman of the code of conduct tribunal arrives, tribunal set to deliver judgment.