The Code of Conduct Tribunal on Monday adjourned indefinitely it’s ruling on two separate motions filed by the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, to challenge the tribunal’s jurisdiction to entertain the charges of non-declaration of assets preferred against him by the Federal Government.
Delivering a ruling, the chairman of the CCT, Danladi Umar, said the ruling on the motions would be delivered along with the final judgment on the case at the end of the trial.
Despite the agreement between the prosecution team led by Mr. Aliyu Umar (SAN), and the defence team led by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), to the effect that the rulings on the applications be delivered first before going into the trial, Umar said the tribunal believed that the said rulings could be delivered at the end of the trial along with the final judgment on the case.
This, the CCT chairman, said was in line with the provision of section 396(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 and Paragraph 5 (5) of the Practice Direction of the tribunal.
He also ordered that in line with the provision of section 396(3) of the ACJA, the trial would proceed day to day.
He then adjourned the matter till Tuesday for the hearing of the prosecution pending application and for the commencement of trial.
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