CCT orders day-to-day proceedings in Onnoghen’s trial

The Code of Conduct Tribunal ( CCT ) has ordered that proceedings in the trial of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen should now be conducted on a day-to-day basis.

Tribunal Chairman, Danladi Umar, in a bench ruling, on Monday, relied on the provision of Section 296(3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) to order a day-to-day proceedings in the case.

Umar also relied on Section 296(2) of the ACJA to reserve ruling on the two applications filed by Onnoghen, which were argued on Monday, till the point of judgment in the substantive case.

The two applications are challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to hear the charge against Onnoghen and asking the CCT Chairman to recuse himself from the case on grounds of likely bias.

Onnoghen was present all through the proceedings on Monday. When asked to sit down, Onnoghen, who stood in the earlier part of the proceedings, later elected to sit on a chair, which his aides brought along with them from home. He refused the chair provided by officials of the tribunal.