The new date for the trial of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen has reportedly been set for February 4, 2019.
Daily Post reports that following Onnoghen’s suspension by President Muhammadu Buhari, based on a directive which was issued by the Code of conduct Tribunal CCT, the CJN will be facing trial with a six-count charge bordering on his alleged non-declaration of some of his assets as prescribed by the law.
In a statement issued by the Tribunal, led by Danladi Umar, on Thursday, January 31, 2019, it was disclosed that a letter from the Federal Government which was signed by two legal officers at the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, Musa Ibrahim Usman and Fatima Danjuma Ali, sought for the continuation of the hearing.
The statement which was signed by the CCT’s Head of Press & Public Relations, Mr. Ibraheem Al-Hassan, revealed that the Federal Government via the letter by the CCB noted to Mr. Umar’s three-member panel that a ruling of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, had allowed for the continuation of Onnoghen’s trial.
In a unanimous decision by the three-man panel which was led by Justice Abdul Aboki, Onnoghen’s request for his trial to be suspended temporarily, was denied.
The CJN had based his request for the suspension of the trial on the result of an appeal he had submitted challenging the competence of the charge against him as well as the procedure by which the CCT had been operating.
Al-Hassan stated that the FG’s request read in part: “The above subject refers. This case came up for the hearing of a 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 this afternoon, 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”.
