Onnoghen fails to appear before CCT

CJN Walter Onnoghen slated for arraignment over alleged false assets declaration charges, did not appear when his trial began on Monday morning.

SAN Wole Olanipekun, leading 46 other senior lawyers, including Kanu Agabi,  to enter defence for the chief justice, began by challenging the jurisdiction of the case.

“You have to first determine whether you have the jurisdiction to try this matter,” Mr Olanipekun said to the tribunal chairman Danladi Umar.

According to him,   Onnoghen has not been indicted by the National Judicial Council as legally required of serving judges before his matter was picked up by the tribunal following a petition filed by a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

He added his client was not given enough time to prepare for his arraignment before being summoned by the tribunal.

The first justice of Nigeria has denied he did anything wrong in not properly declaring his asset when he was appointed CJN.