Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen has responded to the accusations of false assets declaration by the Code of Conduct Bureau, clarifying that
Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen has responded to the accusations of false assets declaration by the Code of Conduct Bureau, clarifying that he forgot to update his asset declaration forms, according to some reports.
“My asset declaration form numbers SCN 00014 and SCN 00005 were declared on the same day, 14/12/2016 because I forgot to make a declaration of my assets after the expiration of my 2005 declaration in 2009. Following my appointment as acting CJN in November, 2016, the need to declare my assets anew made me to realize the mistake.
“I then did the declaration to cover the period in default. I did not include my standard chartered bank account in SCN 000014 because I believed they were not opened. I did not make a fresh declaration of asset after my substantive appointment as CJN because I was under the impression that my SCN 000015 was to cover that period of four years which includes my term as CJN,” Mr Onnoghen stated, in his response to the CCB query.
The Anti-Corruption and Research Based Data Initiative (ARDI) had filed a petition at the Code of Conduct (CCB) against Justice Onnoghen who was first appointed acting CJN on November 10, 2016 following the retirement of the former CJN, Mahmud Mohammed. Mr Dennis Aghanya, Executive-Secretary of the organisation said the petition, which was filed on Jan. 7, was an offshoot of a painstaking investigation into the dealings of the CJN. He said the organisation was of the strong opinion that the allegations were weighty enough to compel an action against Justice Onnoghen.
The body had alleged that Justice Onnoghen made five different cash deposits of 10,000 dollars each on March 8, 2011 into Standard Chartered Bank Account 1062650. The group also alleged that the CJN on June 7, 2011, made two separate cash deposits of 5000 dollars each. It was also alleged that the June 7, 2011 transactions were followed by another four cash deposits of 10,000 dollars each. Similarly, ARDI further alleged that Justice Onnoghen had on June 27, 2011, made another set of five separate cash deposits of 10,000 dollars each and made four more cash deposits of 10,000 dollars on June 28, 2011.
The body alleged that the CJN had also failed to declare his assets immediately after taking office, adding that the inaction was contrary to Section 15 (1) of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act. ARDI also alleged that Onnoghen did not comply with the constitutional requirement for public servants to declare their assets every four years during their career. The body alleged that the second account the CJN agreed to run was Union Bank number 0012783291 in Calabar, with balance of N11, 456,311 as at Nov. 14, 2014.
The petitioner said the sources of the funds in the accounts were stated as salaries, estacodes and allowances. The petitioner, however, alleged that Justice Onnoghen as Declarant SCN: 000015, had listed seven bank accounts that were in use The group said the CJN was linked to Standard Chartered account 00001062667, with balance of N3, 221,807.05 as at Nov. 14, 2016. Another account they alleged was operated by the CJN included Standard Chart ered account 00001062650, with balance of $164,804.82, as at Nov.14 2016.The other account linked to him is Standard Chartered with account number 5001062686, with balance of 55,154.56 Euros as at Nov. 14, 2016 among others
