Nigeria's Chief Justice Onnoghen Gets the Boot
Chief Justice
Walter Onnoghen who was suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari for failing to declare
all his assets, has been found guilty by the Code of Conduct Tribunal in a
two-hour judgement, declaring that Onnoghen violated the Code of Conduct Bureau
rules for public officers of his status and has among others, barred him from
public office for ten years.
From The Guardian, Abuja
Nigeria: CCT Convicts, Sacks Onnoghen As Chief Justice, NJC Chairman
The allegation of
false and non-assets declaration against Justice Walter Onnoghen, which began
like a bad dream in January, came to a dramatic end yesterday at the Code of
Conduct Tribunal (CCT).Onnoghen watched helplessly as the tribunal headed by
Mr. Danladi Umar, a non-judicial officer, found him guilty of the six-count
charge brought against him by the Federal Government through the Code of
Conduct Bureau (CCB).
The tribunal in a unanimous
judgment also ordered the removal of Onnoghen as Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN)
and chairman, National Judicial Council (NJC). He was also barred from holding
public office for 10 years for contravening the CCB laws in his Assets
Declaration Form. Onnoghen will, in addition, forfeit to the Federal
Government, various sums of money found in his five bank accounts with Standard
Chartered Bank, having failed to declare them…
Reactions have been
trailing the ruling. Ibadan-based lawyer, Fatai Akinsanmi, said: "I was
not shocked because I had been following the matter. When the news broke, many
thought it was witch-hunting but the unfolding scenarios show it was not a witch-hunt.
It is a good development if the number one judicial officer can be prosecuted
and judgment is served. The CCT ought to investigate individual claims in their
Code of Conduct form."
Lagos-based rights
group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), welcomed the
verdict…
Labels: leadership, Nigeria, rule of law
posted by Ken Wedding @ 5:30 AM
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