ONNOGHEN’S TRIAL: CCT vows to jail journalists

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has threatened to imprison journalists who misinterpret proceedings in the trial of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen.

The Chairman of the Tribunal, Danladi Umar at the resumption of hearing on Thursday frowned at what he described as some newspapers’ distortion and misrepresentation of last Monday’s proceedings of the trial.

He said erring journalists would remain in prison until his retirement in twenty eight years’ time.

Provoked by the report, Umar brought copies of the newspapers that published the stories he complained about at proceedings on Thursday.

He said, “Henceforth, any journalist carrying concocted or discredited statement which is not adduced before this tribunal, I will not hesitate to bring the full weight of the law heavily on the person.

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“The journalist will languish there (prison) and may remain there until I retire – that is about 28 years from now.

“The person will be summarily sent to prison because that is contempt.

“It does not matter whether the contempt is committed in facie curiae (before the court) or ex facie curiae (outside the court).”

Onnoghen is facing prosecution before the CCT by the Federal Government on charges of false and non-declaration of assets.

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