Ex-Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, has lost his suit challenging an ex parte order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal which led to his suspension from office.
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had, on the strength of the ex parte order, suspended Onnoghen from office on January 25.
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By the judges at the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal unanimously ruled that the CCT breached the ex-CJN’s right to fair hearing.
Justice Stephen Adah, who read the lead judgment, said the court proceedings ought not to be conducted “in a shady or clandestine maneuver” as manner in which the ex parte order was obtained by the prosecution.
However, Onnoghen lost his attempt to overturn the ruling, which the appellate court had been concluded by the CCT, which ended in the ex-CJN’s conviction on charges of false and non-declaration of assets.