CCT trial: Appeal Court decides Justice Onnoghen’s fate today
The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal will today deliver judgement on four separate appeals the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, filed to challenge his trial and conviction by Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, in Abuja.
The tribunal had in a judgement it delivered on April 18, found Onnoghen guilty on all the six-count charge the Federal Government preferred against him.
The Mr. Danladi Umar-led three-man panel tribunal said it was satisfied that Federal Government successfully proved its allegation that Onnoghen who had voluntarily resigned his position as CJN on April 4, acted in breach of the code of conduct for public officers in the country. Dissatisfied with the verdict, Onnoghen who was initially suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari on January 25, filed 16 grounds of appeal to challenge his conviction.
Justice Walter Onnoghen consulting with his Lead Counsel during the continuation of the hearing of his case by the Code of Conduct Tribunal at Jabi, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida 11/03/2019
Onnoghen insisted that it was wrong for the tribunal to hear and determine FG’s motion when its jurisdiction to entertain the substantive charge was being challenged.
He, therefore, prayed the appellate court to set-aside the decision of the CCT as contained in a ruling its Chairman delivered on January 14. Justice Onnoghen had also lodged another appeal to challenge the ex-parte order the CCT issued for his suspension.
In the four grounds of appeal he filed on Tuesday, Onnoghen, argued that the CCT erred in law by granting an ex-parte order for his removal, even it had yet to determine whether or not it has the jurisdiction to try him.
He, therefore, applied for, “An order setting aside the order of the tribunal made on the 23rd of January, directing the Appellant to step aside as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and a further order that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria takes all necessary measures to swear-in the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council.”
More so, the appellant maintained that “the exercise of powers over the motion ex-parte without first determining the jurisdiction of the tribunal amounted to unlawful exercise of jurisdiction and therefore void.”
In his substantive appeal, Onnoghen argued that the CCT panel erred in law and occasioned a miscarriage of justice against him, when it failed to decline jurisdiction to entertain the six-count charge the Federal Government preferred against him. He further contended that the CCT Chairman ought to have recused himself from presiding over his trial.
Besides, the former CJN, in his notice of appeal that was observed by VAM, urged the Court of Appeal to declare that the charge against him had become academic.
In his seven-point reliefs, Onnoghen, applied for an order setting aside his conviction, as well as quashing the order for forfeiture of his assets to FG.
More so, the convicted ex-CJN, urged the appellate court to discharge and acquit him of all the charges FG levelled against him.
The tribunal had in a judgement it delivered on April 18, found Onnoghen guilty on all the six-count charge the Federal Government preferred against him.
The Mr. Danladi Umar-led three-man panel tribunal said it was satisfied that Federal Government successfully proved its allegation that Onnoghen who had voluntarily resigned his position as CJN on April 4, acted in breach of the code of conduct for public officers in the country. Dissatisfied with the verdict, Onnoghen who was initially suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari on January 25, filed 16 grounds of appeal to challenge his conviction.
Justice Walter Onnoghen consulting with his Lead Counsel during the continuation of the hearing of his case by the Code of Conduct Tribunal at Jabi, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida 11/03/2019 Onnoghen insisted that it was wrong for the tribunal to hear and determine FG’s motion when its jurisdiction to entertain the substantive charge was being challenged.
He, therefore, prayed the appellate court to set-aside the decision of the CCT as contained in a ruling its Chairman delivered on January 14. Justice Onnoghen had also lodged another appeal to challenge the ex-parte order the CCT issued for his suspension.
In the four grounds of appeal he filed on Tuesday, Onnoghen, argued that the CCT erred in law by granting an ex-parte order for his removal, even it had yet to determine whether or not it has the jurisdiction to try him.
He, therefore, applied for, “An order setting aside the order of the tribunal made on the 23rd of January, directing the Appellant to step aside as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and a further order that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria takes all necessary measures to swear-in the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council.”
More so, the appellant maintained that “the exercise of powers over the motion ex-parte without first determining the jurisdiction of the tribunal amounted to unlawful exercise of jurisdiction and therefore void.”
In his substantive appeal, Onnoghen argued that the CCT panel erred in law and occasioned a miscarriage of justice against him, when it failed to decline jurisdiction to entertain the six-count charge the Federal Government preferred against him. He further contended that the CCT Chairman ought to have recused himself from presiding over his trial.
Besides, the former CJN, in his notice of appeal that was observed by VAM, urged the Court of Appeal to declare that the charge against him had become academic.
In his seven-point reliefs, Onnoghen, applied for an order setting aside his conviction, as well as quashing the order for forfeiture of his assets to FG.
More so, the convicted ex-CJN, urged the appellate court to discharge and acquit him of all the charges FG levelled against him.
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