CCT Chair Insists CJN Must Be Present to Take His Plea, Adjourns Hearing

CCT Chair Insists Former CJN Must Be Present to Take His Plea, Adjourns Hearing

Admin February 4, 2019

The Code of Conduct Tribunal has adjourned the trial of Justice Walter Onnoghen to the 13th of February, 2019, while insisting that Onnoghen must be present to take his plea.

The CCT chairman, Danladi Umar, said it agreed to adjourn the matter because the defendant’s presence is needed at the trial before any preliminary objection to the competence of the court can be raised.

The court resumed after standing down for thirty minutes to allow the defence and prosecution counsel to come to this resolution.

The suspended CJN, who for the third time, failed to appear before the tribunal to defend the six-count charge the Federal Government entered against him, had through his counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awolowo, SAN, urged the tribunal to temporarily suspend the trial since the National Judicial Council, NJC, is already seized of facts of the matter.

Earlier, the Prosecution counsel informed the court about the two motions in today’s hearing which are: one on preliminary objection to jurisdiction of the CCT and the other filed by the prosecution asking for an order for the CJN to step aside.

The Defence Counsel said petitions have being forwarded to the National Judicial Council and the body has sent the same petitions to the defendant to reply within 7 days.