Legal giants clash over CJN Onnoghen’s trial

Legal giants tendered various views yesterday on the plan to arraign today Chief Juctice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for alleged false assets declaration.

To Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), Justice Onnonghen should have been reported to the National Judicial Council (NJC) instead of being taken before the CCT.

But, the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) chairman Itse Sagay disagreed.

In Prof. Sagay’s view, the question of Jurisdiction should not arise. “I think at the level of the officer we’re talking about now, we shouldn’t be talking of the substance. Did he or did he not do it? That’s all,” he said.

The Court of Appeal had held in the Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa case that it would amount to the usurpation of NJC’s powers if any judicial officer commits a professional misconduct within the scope of his duty and is investigated, arrested and subsequently prosecuted without a formal complaint/ report to the NJC.

The Nation, January 14, 2019

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