The Code Of Conduct Tribunal has been issued a restraining order by the National Industrial Court, ordering that CJN Walter Onnoghen’s trial be stopped.
According to news reports, the CCT is being issued a restraining order over CJN’s trial for the second time.
You would recall that CJN has been facing six charges of false assets declaration which was filed against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau.
However, Punch reports that The National Industrial Court has now reinforced its restraining order on the CCT to end CJN’s trial which was scheduled for January 15.
The reports reveal that the order “followed an exparte application moved by the claimant’s counsel, James Igwe (SAN) who said there was difficulty in serving the CCT Chairman, Justice Danladi Umar, the court’s papers personally.”
As earlier reported, CJN was set to be arraigned on Monday, January 14, but he had been absent on the grounds that the conditions required for his appearance in court, had not been carried out lawfully.
Legal luminary, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), leading an entourage of Senior Lawyers in the CJN’s defense, told the tribunal that his client was absent from the trial because he was yet to be served with the charges against him as per the requirements of the law.
However, the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) served the Onnoghen the criminal charges on false asset declaration in person, in preparation for his now cancelled arraignment on January 22, 2019, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
