A team of lawyers number over 70 led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) has arrived the Code Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in Abuja to defend the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.
The defence team includes over 40 Senior Advocates Nigeria (SAN) with one SAN on the side of the prosecution.
The CJN was arraigned before the tribunal today, although he was not present at the opening trial. :
Channels TV reports that some Senior Advocates of Nigeria in Onnoghen’s defence team who were already seated awaiting the commencement of the proceedings included, Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi, Wole Olanipekun, Chief Chris Uche, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo among others.
On the side of the prosecution, there are five lawyers led by Aliyu Umar SAN.
Justice Onnoghen is facing six charges bordering on failure to declare his assets and operating a domiciliary account, among other charges.
The charges against the CJN are based on a petition signed by the executive secretary of the anti-corruption research data based initiative, Dennis Aghanya.
The petition alleges amongst others things that the CJN failed to declare ownership of sundry accounts funded through cash deposits made by himself up to August 10, 2016.
