The Court of Appeal is set to hear the appeal of former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, challenging his removal from office by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in 2019.
Gatekeepers News reports that Onnoghen’s appeal, filed in 2019, argues that the CCT lacked jurisdiction to preside over the matter and that the tribunal chairman was biased, denying him a fair hearing.
The former CJN is seeking to void and set aside the CCT’s judgment, which convicted him on six counts of false asset declaration and ordered his removal from office. He also challenges the order for the confiscation of his assets, citing provisions of the CCB Act.
Onnoghen’s lead counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, argues that only the National Judicial Council (NJC) has the power to discipline him for misconduct, not the CCT. He also faults the failure of the prosecution to present the petitioner, Denis Aghanya, whose petition led to the charges against him.
The Court of Appeal had previously ruled that the CCT breached Onnoghen’s right to a fair hearing when it ordered his suspension based on false assets’ declaration charges. The appeal court also faulted the tribunal for ignoring various court orders stopping the trial.
