“We Have No Record of Ex-CJN Onnoghen’s CCT Case File,” AGF’s Office Tells Court

The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) has revealed that it does not possess the case file concerning the trial of former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen, despite the trial concluding five years ago.

Onnoghen was prosecuted in 2019 by the federal government for allegedly making false declarations of assets at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). The tribunal found him guilty, leading to his removal from office.

Now, five years after his dismissal, Onnoghen is contesting the decision that led to his removal. During a session at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, Tijani Gazali, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and representative of the federal government, informed the court that the Ministry of Justice lacks any documentation related to Onnoghen’s trial and conviction.

Gazali explained that the case was handled by the late Aliyu Umar, SAN, a private lawyer based in Kano, who had been contracted by the federal government to prosecute the case. Umar passed away four years ago, and Gazali requested an adjournment to allow the government time to retrieve the necessary documents from Umar’s chambers.

Additionally, Gazali mentioned that the new Attorney General is exploring alternative approaches to resolve the dispute amicably.

However, Chris Uche, SAN, counsel for Onnoghen, argued that some documents had indeed been served to and acknowledged by the AGF’s office. Uche requested an accelerated hearing of the appeal, which the court granted without objection from the federal government.

Presiding over the case, Justice C. I. Jombo Ofo approved the request for an expedited hearing and set the appeal for September 19. Onnoghen, who attended the court session, is seeking to overturn the CCT’s decision, which not only removed him from office but also ordered the forfeiture of his five bank accounts.