Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal, on Wednesday, refused to stay proceedings in the trial of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
The Court refused to grant the application for Stay of Proceedings brought by Justice Onnoghen on the grounds that section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, (ACJA), 2015 does not allow a Stay of Proceedings in a criminal matter.
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That the tribunal being a quasi criminal court is governed by the provisions of ACJA, 2015, and its proceedings in a criminal matter cannot be stayed.
Details later..
What is happening here? How have we come to the conclusion that this is a criminal matter? That he did not declare his assets properly as required by law before his appointment is different from that he corruptly enriched himself to have such assets. How have we come to the conclusion that he criminaly acquired his assets? Where is the criminality with not properly declaring your assets? He has since owned up to not properly doing so. We are yet to hear exactly why that is the case before his been chased to the CCT. Why are we not asking about the integrity of the head of the CCT member who is to try the CJN? Already the CJN has been declared guilty and tagged a criminal by the CCT and Court of Appeal even before trial. What type country is ours for crying out loud.