CJN Justice Walter Onnoghen
CJN Justice Walter Onnoghen
Asset Declaration: CCT Constitutes Panel to Try Justice
Onnoghen
The Code of Conduct Tribunal has scheduled Monday, 14th of January
for the commencement of trial against current Chief Justice of
Nigeria, Hon Justice Onnoghen Nkanu Walter Samuel for an alleged
nondeclaration of assets.
This was consequent to application filed by the Code of Conduct
Bureau to the CCT Chairman for the trial to commence against the
Chief Justice of Nigeria on six count charges.
However, service of summon has been effected to the
Dependant, the three man panel led by Justice Danladi Y. Umar, will
commence the trial on Monday, 14th January, 2019 at its courtroom,
situated at the headquarter, along Jabi Daki biyu, Saloman Lar way,
Abuja, at about 10:00am.
The application was filed yesterday by the operatives of CCB,
dated 11st January, 2019 and signed by Musa Ibrahim Usman (Esq) and
Fatima Danjuma Ali (Esq), containing 6 count charges all borders on
nondeclaration of asset.
Ibraheem Al-Hassan,
Head, (Press & Public Relations),
Code of Conduct Tribunal HQ.
Abuja.
….
CJN Onnoghen: HURIWA Accuses Presidency of Political
Blackmail
A prominent Non Governmental organisation- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS
ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has accused President Muhammadu
Buhari of attempting to foist a totalitarian regime through a
subterfuge by the eleventh hour plot to arraign the Chief Justice
of Nigeria Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen before the code of conduct
Tribunal over sundry allegations bordering on non declaration of
assets.
HURIWA is of the considered opinion that mischief and malice may
have guided the decision of the Presidency to institute these
charges before a tribunal tailor -guided by the executive arm of
government going by the fact that the Code of Conduct Tribunal and
Code of Conduct Bureau are controlled by the Secretary to tbe
governmemt of the Federation. HURIWA wondered why the Executive Arm
of government did not approach the regular court system or the
National Assembly if these charges aren’t politically motivated
blackmail to whittle down the influence of a Southern born Chief
justice of Nigeria in the event that the Presidential election
becomes stalemated and may require adadjudication before the
Supreme Court of Nigeria. HURIWA recalled that the President
hesitated in appointing the current Chief Justice of Nigeria in a
substantive way but plotted to impose a Northern born justice who
was then second in line in terms of seniority to the current holder
of the office of CJN.
The Rights group said there was no way the Chief justice of
Nigeria will get justice from the hand picked Code of Conduct
Tribunal appointed and reorganised structurally by Presidency
shortly after the Chairman of the Tribunal aquitted the Senate
President Dr Bukola Saraki of all charges of failure to devlare his
assets and the CJN headed the appelate panel that finally nailed
the coffin of the Presidency’s plot to sustain a case against the
main political rival of the current President in the person of the
Senate President.
“These politically motivated war against the CJN is a pay back
for his principled stand to disharge and aquit Saraki of all
charges as framed up by the Executive through the Federal Attorney
General. Moreover, HURIWA faulted the call by the Presidency on the
CJN to quit based on those charges that are still within the realm
of suspicions and have not been so determined by the Competent
Court of law. “Going by Section 36(5) Onnoghen is totally innocent
in the eye of the law and can’t be removed from office based on
mere allegations. Buhari must adhere to the principle of rule of
law and restrain himself from imposing a fait accompli on the
executive conted Conduct Trubunal”.
HURIWA recalled that Buhari declared political war on the Chief
Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, by
asking him to immediately vacate his exalted office as Head of the
Nation’s judiciary over alleged sundry asset declaration
issues.
In a move to force Justice Onnoghen out of office, the Federal
Government will on Monday January 14, 2019 arraigned the CJN before
the Justice Danladi Yakubu led- Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in
Abuja on charges of failures to declare his assets as required by
law and for operating Bank Domiciliary Foreign Currency
Accounts.
The charge sighted by PRNigeria against Justice Onnoghen has
already being filed and served on him last Friday at his official
residence in Abuja preparatory for his appearance at the
tribunal.
The Federal Government, among others, is accusing Nigeria’s Head
of the Judiciary of refusal to declare his assets in breach of the
provision of the Code of Conduct Bureau Act.
He is also being accused of maintaining Domiciliary foreign
currencies account which comprised Dollars Account, Pound Sterling
Account and Euro Account which are alleged to be contrary to
relevant laws, especially for public office holders.
Justice Onnoghen whose appointment suffered unprecedented delay
by President Muhammadu Buhari over undisclosed issues may be the
first CJN in Nigeria to be arraigned for criminal charges by the
Federal Government.
Apart from putting the Chief Justice in the dock on Monday,
PRNigeria learned that motion on notice is to be filed against him
praying the tribunal to order him to vacate office and recuse
himself office so as to prevent alleged interference in his
arraignment and trial.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN) name withheld has been engaged
by Federal Government to lead the onslaught against justice
Onnoghen, while PRNigeria could not ascertain names of those who
will lead the defence team for CJN.
However, it is gathered that eminent lawyers have volunteered to
put their services at the disposal of Justice Onnoghen in the bid
to rescue him from the claws of the government.
It would be recalled the President of the Senate of Nigeria, Dr.
Bukola Saraki was in 2015 shortly after he emerged the Head of the
Legislature, arraigned at the tribunal but the charges against him
were quashed and he was discharged and acquitted by the tribunal on
the ground that the charges against him by government were based on
hearsay that could not stand in the face of the law.
Saraki’s discharge and acquittal was upheld by the Supreme Court
under the leadership of Justice Onnoghen.
Emmanuel N. Onwubiko
Executive Director