A lawyer and investigator attached to the Code of Conduct Bureau, Usman Mohammed, says the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, failed to declare his dollar, pounds and euro accounts when he was elevated to the Supreme Court.
In his statement, which has been attached to the charge sheet, the witness said investigations began after a Non-Governmental Organisation, Anti-Corruption and Research Based Data Initiative, wrote a petition against the CJN.
The statement of the witness reads in part, “That the respondent (Onnoghen) also operates three domiciliary and two naira accounts with Standard Chartered Bank Limited with the following particulars.
“Domiciliary account number: 870001062650 bearing the name Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen.
“Domiciliary account number: 9300106268 bearing the name Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen
“Domiciliary account number: 285001062679 bearing the name Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen
“Domiciliary account number: 5001062683 bearing the name Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen
“Domiciliary account number: 0100010626667 bearing the name Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen.”
The investigator said investigations revealed that since 2005 when Onnoghen was appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court, he did not declare his assets until 2016 when he was appointed as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
The statement added, “That in 2016 declarations, the five domiciliary accounts were omitted. We proceeded to request the account details from Standard Chartered Bank Limited.
“The bank undertook to provide us with the opening form and provided us with statements of accounts.
“Investigations have been concluded and the facts revealed indict the defendant and consequently the file has been forwarded to the department of legal services for further necessary action.”
It was reported in September 2017 that the Federal Government was investigating the CJN for alleged corruption.
However, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had denied the report, insisting that Onnoghen was not under probe.
Source: Today NG