A three member Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, has discharged and acquitted former Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, of all the charges that led to his removal from office in 2019.
Justice Onnoghen was suspended from office as the CJN by former President Muhammad Buhari who appointed Justice Tanko Muhammad, to take over as the head of the country’s judiciary.
After his suspension Justice Onnoghen was convicted by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, on a six-count charge of corruption.
The former Chief Justice was alleged to have made a false declaration to the Code of Conduct Bureau.
About six years after he was convicted, a three-man panel of the Court of Appeal led by Justice Mohammed Bello, acquitted the ex-CJN following a settlement agreement the federal government entered with him.
President Bola Tinubu had, through the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, asked the appellate court to halt further hearing of three separate appeals the former CJN filed to challenge his removal, conviction, and seizure of his assets.
In line with the terms of the settlement dated October 24, the appellate court ordered the Federal Government to unfreeze Onnoghen’s account with Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited.