Onnoghen appeals conviction by CCT

Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, has appealed his conviction by the Code of Conduct Tribunal on charges of violating the Code of Conduct for Public Officers by failing to declare five of his bank accounts bearing huge sums of funds.

Onnoghen was convicted by the CCT, headed by Danladi Umar, on Thursday and ordered to lose the money in the account and not hold any public office for 10 years.

Shortly after the judgement, Onnoghen’s lawyers, led by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, filed a 16-ground notice of appeal before the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

Onnoghen insisted, among others, that he did not confess to the alleged offences as held by the CCT.

The appeal reads in party: “The lower tribunal erred in law when it held that the appellant confessed to the charges framed by admission and use that as a basis to hold that the appellant did not declare his assets from year 2005 when he became a Justice of the Supreme Court and thus occasioned a gross miscarriage of justice.

“The appellant did not admit the fact of non-declaration of assets from year 2005 as Justice of the Supreme Court.

“The appellant only stated that he did not declare in 2009 as required because he forgot and did the declaration immediately it realised same.

“By the evidence of DW1 (first defence  witness, Lawal Busari who is Onnoghen’s driver), and Exhibit DW2 tendered, it has affirmed the statement of the appellant that he forgot to make a declaration in 2009 but did in 2010 when he remembered showing there was a declaration after contrary to Count 1 of the charge.”

Other lawyers in the team include Chief Chris Uche (SAN), Chief Okon Efut (SAN), Chief Ogwu Onoja (SAN) and George Ibrahim.