The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday discharged and acquitted former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, of all charges that led to his removal from office in 2019.
According to Vanguard, the court’s decision comes nearly six years after the Code of Conduct Tribunal found Onnoghen guilty of a six-count corruption charge, including false asset declaration.
Justice Mohammed Bello led the three-man panel that upheld the settlement agreement between Onnoghen and the Federal Government.
President Bola Tinubu, through the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, had requested the appellate court to stop proceedings on three appeals Onnoghen had filed to contest his conviction, removal, and asset seizure.
The Court of Appeal’s ruling also instructed the government to unfreeze Onnoghen’s bank account with Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited.
Onnoghen was initially suspended from office on January 25, 2019, by then-President Muhammadu Buhari, just 29 days before the presidential election.
His suspension, announced hours after he revealed plans to inaugurate judges for election petition tribunals, sparked significant backlash. The Nigerian Bar Association criticized the action, labeling it “a coup against the judiciary.”
In his reaction, the NBA’s representative remarked, “The court’s decision today is a restoration of the rule of law and an important step for the judiciary.”
Meanwhile, legal experts expressed mixed opinions on the handling of Onnoghen’s case, emphasizing the need for justice and fairness in institutional proceedings.
The appellate court’s ruling marks a significant conclusion to a case that has been a focal point of discussions about the independence and integrity of Nigeria’s judicial system.
