The
Code of Conduct Tribunal has fixed February 4 for the resumption of
alleged non-asset declaration trial against Justice Walter Onnoghen, the
Chief Justice of Nigeria.
Justice Walter Onnoghen |
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by Ibraheem
Al-Hassan, the Head, (Press & Public Relations), Code of Conduct
Tribunal.
"Following Court of Appeal ruling, the trial against Chief
Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Onnoghen Nkanu Walter, on alleged non
declaration of asset before Code of Conduct Tribunal is hereby fixed for
Monday, 4th of February, 2019.
"The decision was reached, sequel to a correspondent from Code of
Conduct Bureau, applying for the resumption of trial of the case
captioned; Application for resumption of trial of the case of FRN V.
Hon. Justice Onnoghen Nkanu Walter Samuel case No: CCT/ABJ/01/19,
addressed to Hon. Chairman Code of Conduct Tribunal, dated 30th January,
2019, jointly signed by Musa Ibrahim Usman (Esq) and Fatima Danjuma Ali
(Esq).
The request reads in part; “The above subject refers. This case came
up for hearing of preliminary objection to the jurisdiction of the
Tribunal on the 28th of January, 2019 but the Tribunal could not proceed
due to the pendency of the case at the Court of Appeal.
“However, in the wake of 30th January, 2019 the Court of Appeal has thrown out the appeal.
“Consequently on the above, we urge the Honourable Tribunal to give
us a date for resumption of the trial subject to the convenience of the
Tribunal, Most obliged my Lord.
The CCT’s latest step comes barely a day after an Appeal Court in
Abuja dismissed a suit filed by the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria,
seeking a stay of execution on his on-going trial at the Code of Conduct
Tribunal.
Ruling on the matter, Justice Abdul Aboki rejected the appeal, saying
that the injunction is spent and the case at the CCT can continue.
The appellate court held that Justice Onnoghen’s application runs
contrary to section 306 of the Administration of the Criminal Justice
Act 2015 (ACJA).
Justice Aboki who read the lead ruling cited a case of Dr Bukola
Saraki in which Justice Onnoghen himself at the Supreme Court declined
to stay trial of Saraki on the same ground that section 306 of the new
law, did not permit the stay of criminal trial.
No comments:
Post a Comment