18th April, 2019
The Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT has dismissed the preliminary objection filed by Justice Onnoghen to challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to try him.
The CCT also dismissed the application by Onnoghen accusing the tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar, to withdraw from further presiding over the trial on the grounds of bias.
The tribunal held that justice Onnoghen is not been charged as a judicial officer but an ordinary public officer and as such the ruling in Ngajiwa versus the federal government does not apply to the tribunal.
He held that the tribunal has jurisdiction to try the defendant and that his prosecution is competent without regards to section 158 subsection 1.
The tribunal is now delivering judgment on the merit of the five counts.