The Court of Appeal sitting in
Abuja has refused the request by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter
Onnoghen, to make an order stopping his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal,
CCT on Tuesday.
The CCT
had on January 14 fixed January 22 for hearing in the six counts of false
assets declaration filed by the Code of Conduct Bureau against Justice
Onnoghen.
However, two non-govermental
organisations, namely the Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative; CJPI, and
International Association of Students, IAS, had approached the Federal High
Court in Abuja and requested an order stop the charges against the CJN.
Justice Evelyn Maha of the
Federal High Court, Abuja, last week issued two separate orders directing that
status quo should be maintained in Justice Onnoghen’s case before the CCT.
However, in a push to stop the
CJN trial at CCT, his lawyers, led by Chief Adegnoyega Awomolo, SAN, approached
the Appellate court on Monday seeking to obtain another restraining order
against the Danladi Umar-led CCT.
Onnoghen’s lawyer, Awomolo told a
three-man Court of Appeal panel led by Justice Abdu Aboki, that the restraining
order was necessary to preserve the subject matter of the case at the Code of
Conduct Tribunal.
In countering this, the Federal
Government’s lawyer, Emmanuel Omonuwa, told the panel that he was only served
with the court process by Justice Onnoghen’s legal team on Monday morning.
He said he needed at least three
days to reply.
The three Justices of the Court
of Appeal declined granting Onnoghen’s request to stop the CCT proceedings against
him.
According to the Appeal Court
panel, “We are of the view that no form of order shall be made at his stage
pending hearing of motion on notice.” The suit was adjourned till January 24.
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