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CCT overrules prosecution as Onnoghen’s driver tenders 2010 receipt of CJN’s assets declaration form

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The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Monday accepted as evidence, the receipt of form of assets declaration in the ongoing trial of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen.

Led by the defence counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), the witness, Mr Lawal Busari who was described as the driver to the embattled CJN narrated how he drove his principal to the office of the Code of Conduct Bureau, on July 28, 2010, to obtain the assets declaration form.

He explained that he paid the sum of N200 for Onnoghen’s assets declaration on November 3, 2010.

Busari, 67, said, “On getting there (CCB office), he (Onnoghen), collected assets declaration form.

“After he was given the form, he said, ‘Alhaji are you not going to collect your own?’ He said, ‘collect it’.

“We got back to the office, I filled my own.

“On November 3, 2010, My lordship gave me N200 to pay into the treasury account for the assets declaration form.

“I collected the receipt from the cashier and I gave the receipt back to my lord.

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“On November 4, 2010, I did mine too by paying the sum of N200 to the cashier.”

To buttress his argument, Awomolo requested the witness to present the receipt of payment as exhibit but the prosecuting counsel, Mr Aliyu Umar (SAN) was quick to object the proposition.

Umar argued that “Revenue Number” did not appear on the receipt, saying, “The authenticity of the receipt is in doubt”.

The CCT overruled the prosecution and admitted the receipt as an exhibit.

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