By Chukwuemka Njoku, Abuja
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, on Tuesday, refused to appear before the Hon. Umar Danladi led Code of Conduct Tribunal sitting in Abuja.
The scheduled arraignment of Justice Onnoghen at the Code of Conduct Tribunal on January 14, was stalled following the absence of the defendant in court.
Justice Onnoghen is being accused by the Federal Government of failing to declare his assets as required by law and for operating bank domiciliary foreign currency accounts.
Between January 14 and January 22, three court’s of competent jurisdictions have given three separate orders restraining the Federal Government from going ahead to arraign Onnoghen.
Also, the National Industrial Court made 2 similar orders stopping the planned arraignment of the CJN and his forceful removal by President Muhammadu Buhari.
At commencement of Tuesday’s sitting, the prosecution counsel, Aliyu Umar SAN, said the business of the day was for arraignment and hearing of all pending applications.
But he said the arraignment would not take place because the defendant was not in court.
Umar told the court to demand from the defence counsel whether service was effected in order to know why the CJN was absent.
Responding, Wole Olanipekun rather said the matter was adjourned for hearing of motions according to the record of the court and not arraignment.
Olanipekun informed the tribunal of all the four orders made by various courts of competent jurisdictions restraining the Federal Government from arraigning the CJN.
He equally told the CCT panel that the Court of Appeal is ceased of the matter and had fixed January 24 to hear Onnoghen’s appeal against the order made by the CCT on January 14, to the effect that the prosecution’s motion would be heard together with the defence counsel application challenging jurisdiction and competence of the charge.
Therefore, he urged the court to adjourn indefinitely to enable the various courts hear and determine the issues raised in respect of the planned arraignment of the CJN.
The prosecution opposed the application for adjournment, saying it should be at the court’s discretion.
Aliyu also argued that the CCT and the Federal High Court are court’s of coordinate jurisdictions, and therefore the CCT is not liable to any decision by the FHC.
Meanwhile, the matter has been stood down for one and half hours for ruling.
Details later…….
