CCT Orders Onnoghen’s Arrest

By Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has ordered the Inspector General of Police and the Director of the Department of State Services to arrest the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, and produce him in court on the next adjourned date.

Chairman of the Tribunal, Danladi Umar, on Wednesday, issued the bench warrant against Onnoghen following his absence in court for arraignment.

The Tribunal had at its last sitting on February 4, ordered that Onnoghen must make himself available in court today February 13, for arraignment over alleged failure to declare his assets.

When the matter came up today, Onnoghen was not in court and his lawyers led by Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN prayed the court to take all pending applications relating to the trial, particularly the issue of the tribunal’s jurisdiction to hear the matter.

Prosecution counsel, Aliyu Umar SAN, however urged the court to address the issue of the defendant’s absence in court for his arraignment before the application on jurisdiction.

In a brief ruling, CCT Chairman recalled that he had insisted that the defendant appear in court today for arraignment and since he was not in court, he left the Tribunal with no choice than to order for his arrest.

He consequently ordered the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the DSS to arrest Onnoghen and produce him in court on Friday, February 15 for arraignment.

Details later.