The trying times for CJN Walter Onnoghen continue as FG orders freezing of accounts
The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation has sent a
letter to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, asking that the bank
accounts of the embattled Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter
Onnoghen, to be frozen immediately.
According to Punch, the AGF in a letter dated January 14th with
reference number HAGF/2019/E06/Vol.01, said the order was in line with
Executive Order 06 on the preservation of assets connected with
corruption. In the document signed by Abiodun Aikomo on behalf of the
AGF, Onnoghen’s dollar, pounds, euro and naira accounts with Standard
Chartered Bank were requested to be frozen.
The five accounts bearing Onnoghen’s name have the following numbers:
0001062650, 9300106268, 285001062679, 5001062683 and 0010626667.
The letter read in part
“I am directed by Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), the Honourable
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to request
that you, pursuant to Executive Order 6 of 2018, forthwith restrict
normal banking operations on certain accounts belonging to Hon. Justice
Walter Onnoghen pending final determination of the case against him at
the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT/ABJ/1/19 – Federal Republic of Nigeria
v Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen Nkanu Walter Samuel. These accounts are:
Account number 5001062683 (euro) Standard Chartered Bank. 5001062683
(pounds) 0001062650 (dollar), 0010626667 (naira) and 5001062683
(naira).”.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria is accused of failing to declare the
funds in the accounts in his asset declaration form when he assumed
office in March 2017.