Pat Stevens/
The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has adjourned the trial of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, on charges of non-declaration of assets, till March 11.
This was after the tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar, insisted on adjourning the matter till February 21 in defiance to an agreement between the prosecuting team led by Ibrahim Musa and the defence team led by Chris Uche (SAN).
But after continuous plea by the defence and the prosecution that he should allow the March 2 governorship and House of Assembly to be over before the next sitting, Umar agreed to adjourn till March 11.
The March 11 proceedings are for the hearing of all pending applications by both the defence and the prosecution.
The pending applications includes Onnoghen’s application challenging the tribunal’s jurisdiction to hear the charges.
Onnoghen had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him by the federal government.
Onnoghen’s lead counsel told journalists after the proceedings that the arraignment of the topmost judicial officer marked “a very said day for democracy, a very sad day for Nigeria”.
Uche further said: “It is a struggle for the maintenance of the due process and it is a struggle for separation of powers.
“The CJN had to suffer the dignity of coming before this tribunal to take his plea.
“But we are happy that the world will now know the truth that there is more to this case.”
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