Sequel to the bench warrant issued against him recently, the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, on Friday, appeared before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) sitting in Abuja, to face charges the Federal Government pressed against him. Justice Onnoghen who arrived the court around 9:30 a.m., mounted the dock about 45 minutes later when his case was called up.
Onnoghen, accused of failing to declare his assets as prescribed by the law, four times refused to appear before the tribunal to enter his plea to the six-count charge the Federal Government pressed against him.
FG had in the charge marked CCT/01/2019, also alleged that Onnoghen operated foreign bank accounts in contravention of the code of conduct for public officials. Specifically, the CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar, had directed the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS) to execute the arrest warrant to ensure that Justice Onnoghen was brought before the tribunal on the adjourned date.
At the hearing today, Justice Onnoghen pled not guilty to the six-count charges against him. He has been granted bail.
