Court of Appeal Acquits Former Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen of False Asset Declaration

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has acquitted and discharged Former Chief Justice of Nigeria Walter Onnoghen of allegations of false assets declaration.

This decision reverses Onnoghen’s 2019 conviction by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), which led to his suspension and removal from office.

In 2019, Onnoghen was convicted on six counts of false asset declaration and ordered to forfeit his funds in five domiciliary accounts. However, Onnoghen maintained that the CCT lacked jurisdiction over his case, citing that as a judicial officer, he should have been reported to the National Judicial Council (NJC) first.

The Court of Appeal agreed, stating that the CCT “lacks jurisdiction to entertain the matter without resorting to the National Judicial Council (NJC).” The appellate court also noted that Onnoghen’s voluntary retirement and acceptance by the Federal Government rendered the CCT’s jurisdiction invalid.
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As part of the settlement agreement, the Court of Appeal ordered the immediate unfreezing of Onnoghen’s four bank accounts held at Standard Chartered Bank (Nigeria) Limited, Wuse 2, Abuja.

The court held that “the bank accounts… frozen by the judgment, shall be unfrozen forthwith” and that “parties shall take all steps necessary to give positive effect to these terms of settlement“.

The former CJN, who hails from Cross Rivers State of the South-South region, was removed unceremoniously under President Muhammadu Buhari‘s government as the nation prepared for the 2019 general elections. It was then believed his removal was politically motivated. He was quickly replaced by Justice Tanko Mohammed from Bauchi State.

A new political climate may have finally helped to get justice for the ousted ex-CJN.

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