The Court of Appeal in Abuja has acquitted former Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, dismissing allegations that he falsely declared his assets.
This decision overturns a 2019 ruling by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), which had convicted Onnoghen over funds omitted in his accounts.
The three-member appeal panel, led by Justice Abba Mohammed, found that the CCT had acted outside its jurisdiction.
According to the panel, issues concerning judicial officers like Onnoghen should have first been referred to the National Judicial Council (NJC) for investigation. The court ruled that only after NJC’s recommendations could legal action proceed.
The appeals court also ordered the return of four bank accounts seized from Onnoghen.
The case was resolved as part of a settlement agreed upon by both parties, where the court acknowledged Onnoghen’s objections about the tribunal’s conduct during his trial.
This settlement concludes a high-profile legal struggle that began in early 2019, when Onnoghen was accused of failing to disclose funds in his financial declarations.
