Justice Onnoghen Knows Fate Today

Hamilton Nwosa
Writer

Ad

How AfDB-backed fish farming transforms lives in Cameroon

By Obinna Uballa A major fish farming initiative in Cameroon is driving economic transformation and improving food security, thanks to the introduction of a new strain of African catfish (clarias) under the Livestock and Fish Farming Value Chain Development Project (PD-CVEP). The €84 million project, financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and implemented by…

Nigeria’s Policy Efforts Structured To Meet SDG 13 On Climate Action –AfDB

Obi tells Tinubu to stop borrowing, channel revenue into health, education, poverty alleviation

By Obinna Uballa Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure that Nigeria’s recently announced revenue gains translate into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens. Obi was reacting to Tinubu’s announcement that the country has achieved its annual revenue target by August, a development the…

Ranked: U.S. Crude Oil Imports by Country

Key Takeaways In 2024, 61.7% of America’s crude oil imports were from Canada. Meanwhile, Mexico accounted for 7.1% of crude oil imports. Crude imports make up about 40% of the oil that is refined in America, much of which is heavier crude compared to America’s light oil. For decades, America was a net importer of…

Ad

The Code of Conduct Tribunal will on Thursday (today), deliver judgment on the charges of false declaration of assets filed against the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.

The CCT will also rule on two applications filed by the CJN who tendered his resignation two weeks ago.

One of the applications is challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to hear the case.

The other application is asking the CCT chairman to disqualify himself from further presiding over the case for his alleged bias.

On Monday, the three-member panel, led by Danladi Umar, fixed the date for judgment after the prosecution led by Aliyu Umar (SAN), and the defence, led by Okon Efut, adopted their final addresses.

The Federal Government had preferred six charges against Onnoghen in June for failing to declare some of his assets.

The government asked the CCT to convict and impose maximum punishment on the suspended CJN, contending that it successfully established that Justice Onnoghen acted in breach of the code of conduct for public officers in the country.

The prosecution had in the charge, marked CCT/ABJ/01/19, alleged that Onnoghen’s failure to properly declare his assets, was in violation of Section 15(2) of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.

It further alleged that Onnoghen, who was suspended from office by President Muhammadu Buhari on January 25, operated five foreign bank accounts, contrary to the code of conduct for public officers.

However, in opposition to his trial, Justice Onnoghen, queried the validity of the charge against him, contending that the government violated established judicial precedents by not allowing the National Judicial Council to first investigate the allegation against him, before it rushed the matter to the CCT.

He argued that failure to channel the petition against him, as well as the outcome of the investigation that was purportedly conducted on assets declaration forms he submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau to the NJC, rendered the charge invalid.

Ad

X whatsapp