- It is possible that the meeting of the National Judicial Council (NJC) meeting scheduled to be held on Tuesday, January 15, may be postponed
- This is as the trial of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, was earlier fixed for Monday, January 14
- The report was given on Sunday, January 13, by a legal practitioner who chose to remain unnamed
There are indications that the National Judicial Council (NJC)'s meeting slated for Tuesday, January 15, may be postponed due to the case of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen.
Onnoghen is expected to appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Monday, January 14, following allegation of false declaration of assets, Vanguard reports.
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The federal government's move to charge the CJN before the CCT has continued to brew mixed reactions and condemnation especially among his colleagues in the judiciary.
Onnoghen happens to be the second Supreme Court justice to be charged to CCT. The first was Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, although he was eventually cleared of the charges levied against him.
Meanwhile, the justice has denied claims that security details attached to him were withdrawn ahead of the planned trial.
Refuting the reports on Sunday, January 13, Awassam Bassey, Onnoghen’s special assistant on media, said: “I was with him through this (yesterday) afternoon. We had attended the special Sunday service for the Armed Forces Remembrance Day. His security officers were there. None of them has been changed or taken away.”
Bassey remarked that the social media had been flooded with several news on his boss, most of which, according to him, are false.
In reaction to the development, lawyers cited the recent decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of Justice Nganjiwa and federal government, pointing out that no criminal charge can be laid against a judicial officer, including the CJN, in any court of law without first filing such allegation to the NJC.
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Earlier, Legit.ng reported that scores of lawyers and journalists had gathered at the CCT in Jabi, Abuja as the CJN was expected to appear before the tribunal on Monday, January 14.
Onnoghen had been accused of failing to declare some of his assets while declaring them at the Code of Conduct Bureau.
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Source: Legit.ng