Tribunal dismisses Onnoghen’s no-case submission | Nairalaw

The Code of Conduct Tribunal has dismissed a no-case application
brought by the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter
Onnoghen.

Mr Onnoghen had earlier on Friday dismissed charges of false
asset declaration against him as “useless and invalid”, saying the
Code of Conduct Bureau failed to follow its standard operations
procedure in raising the charges.

He therefore argued that he had no case to answer, implying the
charges be dismissed.

But a three-member panel of the tribunal led by Danladi Umar
dismissed the application, saying the argument that the CCB, which
is the prosecution, failed to abide by its guidelines amounted to a
mere internal communication flaw.

Mr Umar said the standard operational procedure of the bureau
was faulty and must not be complied with by the prosecution.

According to the tribunal, the procedure which is internal,
cannot above the Nigerian constitution.

The tribunal adjourned immediately after the ruling.

There is an uproar in the court room at Jabi, Abuja, currently,
as lawyers from both sides confront each other over the decision of
the tribunal to adjourn till Monday.