How we got petition against Onnoghen – CCB Investigator | Nairalaw

A senior investigator with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB),
today, narrated to the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) how the
bureau received and investigated a petition, alleging non and false
declaration of assets against the suspended Chief Justice of
Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen.

At the resumed hearing today, upon his presence at the tribunal,
hearing commenced in the case.

Prosecution counsel, Aliyu Umar (SAN) informed the tribunal that
the first witness, James Akpala was ready to testify.

Akpala, who has been a staff of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB)
for six years, is a senior investigation officer.

He said on January 10, he received a directive from his
superior, Samuel Madujemu, who directed that he should investigate
a petition written by one Chief Dennis Aghanya of the
Anti-corruption and research-based data initiative, alleging breach
of code of conduct for public officers, including non and false
declaration of assets against Justice Onnoghen.

“After the routine investigation process, the team wrote to the
Department of Federal Political Office under the CCB, requesting
for the defendant’s asset declaration records from 2000-2019.

“Two assets declaration forms that the team received were
examined and filed in the case file.

Other members on the team, according to him, included Abu Simon
Isaac, Deputy Director of CCB’s Intelligence, Investigation and
Monitoring Department and Samuel Madujemu, the Assistant Director
of the same department.

The witness said the petitioner was invited to make a statement
and his statement was filed in the case file.

He said, “The team proceeded to Standard Chartered Bank,
requesting for the defendant’s account statement with the bank,
account opening documents and certificate of identification. The
bank responded.

“During examination, the team realised that the account opening
package was incomplete and the account officer, Ifeoma Okagbue, was
notified.

“She now came on March 6 with the complete account opening
document and her statement was recorded.

“On January 11, at about 12noon, the team visited the defendant
at his office at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Abuja. We met his
secretary, Jane Esu Edu, who led us to him.

“He read through the petition and gave an oral explanation to
the team concerning the allegations contained in the petition. My
superior, Samuel Madujemu asked him if he was willing to record his
oral explanation in writing or the team should go and come back
some other time. The defendant said he was willing to record his
oral statement.

“He brought out a plain paper but the team informed him that CCB
has a cautionary form for statements and he was informed that he
needs a witness to observe the writing of the statement who could
be a lawyer or a reputable person. The defendant called his
secretary, Jane Esu Edu, to witness the statement. She sat beside
the defendant and the defendant recorded his statement in his own
handwriting.”

Meanwhile, the tribunal has stood down the matter for
prayers.