Appeal court fixes Friday for judgement on Onnoghen

The appeal court says it will deliver judgement on the appeal filed by Walter Onnoghen, suspended chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), on Friday.

The announcement was contained in a statement issued by Sa’adatu Kachalla, spokesperson of the court, on Thursday .

“Notice is hereby given. That The Appeal filed by Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen is ripe for judgement, tomorrow morning in Abuja Division. Thank you for your usual cooperation,” Kachalla said.

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) had convicted Onnoghen on six counts bordering on false assets declaration.

The tribunal ordered that he should be removed from office and banned from holding public office for 10 years.

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

However, he appealed the judgement based on 16 grounds.

“The onus was on the prosecution to prove that that the defendant did not declare and submit his assets declaration form to the Code of Conduct Bureau for over 11 years as charged,” Onnoghen said in his appeal.

He asked the appeal court to for an order declaring that the lower tribunal lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case.

Onnoghen also asked the appeal court for an order declaring that the tribunal ought to have recused itself from the proceedings.