An Abuja Court of Appeal on Wednesday dismissed a request brought by Suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, to stop proceedings of his corruption trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
Onnoghen is accused of failing to declare foreign currency bank accounts, in breach of rules governing public officials. He was suspended last week by President Muhammadu Buhari pending the determination of his trial at CCT. Onnoghen approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja last Tuesday, seeking an oral order stopping the CCT trial.
“A court has inherent jurisdiction to grant stay of proceedings if supported by enough evidence,” said Mr Aboki who read the CCT’s ruling with two other judges. However, the appeals court questioned the likelihood of its jurisdiction to grant such order as requested. The appeals court ruled that “his request for the stay of execution was brought in a vacuum,” without enough evidence or proper backing of legal provisions on the reason it should be granted.
The court therefore decided that Onnoghen’s request for a stay of proceedings will not be granted. With the appeals court’s ruling, the CCT can now proceed with the trial of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria for alleged false asset declaration.