Onnoghen shuns CCT corruption trial

Onnoghen shuns CCT corruption trial

The defence team led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) was present in court when the arraignment commenced.
   
   
   
       
       
           
               
                   

The defence team led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) was present in court when the arraignment commenced.

               
           
               
                   

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, was absent when his corruption trial commenced at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in Abuja on Monday, January 14, 2019.

               
           
               
                   

When his case, marked CCT/ABJ/01/19, commenced at 10am after the arrival of the Justice Danladi Umar-led panel, the head of Nigeria's judiciary was nowhere to be found.

               
           
               
                   

However, the arraignment commenced as the Aliyu Umar-led prosecution team assured the CCT that the defendant had been served with the charges and summons.

               
           
               
                   

The defence team led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) was present in court when the arraignment commenced.

               
           
               
                   

The CCT slammed corruption charges against Onnoghen following a petition accusing him of asset declaration offences. He stands accused of failing to declare a series of bank accounts, denominated in local and foreign currencies.

               
           
               
                   

Onnoghen, Nigeria's 17th Chief Justice, is facing six charges of non and fraudulent declaration of assets.

               
           
               
                   

He's the nation's first serving Chief Justice to be arraigned for criminal offences.

               
           
               
                   

Details later.

Source: Onnoghen shuns CCT corruption trial

- gist culled from pulseng