CCT finds Onnoghen guilty, bars him from public office for 10 years

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has convicted Walter Onnoghen, suspended chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), for false asset declaration.

Danladi Umar, CCT chairman, found him guilty of the six counts preferred against him by the federal government.

The CCT chairman ordered that Onnoghen be removed from office of CJN and banned from holding public office for 10 years.

The tribunal also ordered the forfeiture of the money in the five accounts which the defendant failed to declare as part of his assets.

In his ruling on Thursday, Umar held that the federal government had proved beyond reasonable doubt that Onnoghen breached the code of conduct for public officers.

“The defendant has clearly contravened the code for public officers,” he said.

“The prosecution has discharged the onus placed on it and it has proved its case beyond doubt. The defence has failed to prove that the chairman is biased.”

He said the defence could not prove how Onnoghen legitimately owned the funds found in the five accounts domiciled in Stanbic Bank.

It is not clear if Onnoghen will appeal the verdict of the CCT but speaking with journalists after proceedings, Okoye Efut, his counsel, said they “will take it to the highest level.”

Efut wondered why the CCT chairman would order the removal of the CJN from office when he had resigned already.