Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, is set to resume his legal challenge against the 2019 judgment of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) that led to his removal from office. The case will be heard on Tuesday at the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
Justice Onnoghen, who was removed from office following the CCT’s ruling on April 18, 2019, has been contesting the judgment since then. In his appeal, filed through his lead counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, the former CJN is seeking to have the appellate court overturn the CCT’s decision. He is arguing that the tribunal’s judgment was marred by a lack of jurisdiction, bias, and a denial of fair hearing.
The CCT had convicted Onnoghen on all six counts of breaching the Code of Conduct for public officers, charges brought against him by the Federal Government while he was serving as the head of Nigeria’s judiciary. The lead judgment, delivered by CCT Chairman Danladi Yakubu Umar, ordered Onnoghen’s immediate removal from office and stripped him of all other positions he held, including the chairmanship of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Federal Judicial Service Commission.
In addition to his removal, the CCT ordered the forfeiture of five bank accounts belonging to Onnoghen, along with the funds in those accounts. The tribunal ruled that Onnoghen had failed to declare these assets in the asset declaration form he submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau, a federal agency responsible for enforcing the code of conduct for public officers.
As Justice Onnoghen’s appeal returns to the courtroom, the legal community and the public will be closely watching the proceedings, which may have significant implications for the judiciary and public officeholders in Nigeria.
