The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has ignored court rulings
directing it to put a halt to the trial of the Chief Justice of Nigeria,
Walter Onnoghen.
The tribunal said the court orders would prevent it from carrying out its constitutional duties.
Onnoghen is facing six charges of non and
fraudulent declaration of assets relating to his failure to declare a
series of bank accounts, denominated in local and foreign currencies, as
required by law.
Shortly after the first hearing of the suit on January 14, the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the CCT to halt its arraignment of the CJN after ruling on two ex parte applications to stall the tribunal.
Justice N.E Maha
ordered all concerned parties to maintain status quo until substantive
hearing of the suits have taken place. The National Industrial Court has
also made a similar ruling restraining the tribunal from going ahead
with Onnoghen’s trial pending the determination of suits on the subject
matter.
However, during the resumption of the case at the CCT on January 22, the three-member Danladi Umar-led panel voted to set aside the rulings, and then proceed with Onnoghen’s trial.
Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal, Justice Danladi Umar.
Umar said the orders are not binding on the
tribunal as it would mean obstructing it from carrying out its
constitutional duties.
“The issues before the two courts are hereby discountenanced and have no binding effect on the tribunal,” he said.
Even though Umar and Julie Annabor, another member of the panel, voted to continue with Onnoghen’s trial in defiance of the orders, Atedze William, the third member, said the panel cannot act in isolation of the courts.
He said, “The issue of the
jurisdiction remains unresolved. Since this is the case, it will be
dangerous to proceed without resolving the issue.
“I am praying that the status quo be maintained and the appeal should be allowed to decide the matter.
“This case should therefore be adjourned sine die (indefinitely) pending the determination of the appeal.”
With the court’s decision to proceed, Umar
said the tribunal will entertain the preliminary application of the
defence team, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), to challenge its jurisdiction.
Onnoghen was absent at the hearing on Tuesday, the same way he shunned it on January 14.