False assets declaration: Appeal Court exonerates ex-CJN Onnoghen, orders FG to unfreeze his accounts

• Onnoghen was convicted by the Code of Conduct Tribunal chaired by Umar Yakubu Danladi on April 18, 2019.

The conviction of former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, for false asset declaration has been overturned.

The conviction was squashed on Monday after the court of appeal in Abuja discharged and acquitted the nation’s former first chief judicial officer.

Onnoghen was convicted by the Code of Conduct Tribunal chaired by Umar Yakubu Danladi on April 18, 2019.

However, the conviction is overturned by the Appellate Court following the resolution of the issues that led to his trial and conviction.

Justice Abba Bello Mohammed, in a judgment based on the terms of settlement adopted by the federal government and Onnoghen, ordered that the four bank accounts previously ordered to be forfeited be returned to him.

In a brief statement, Onnoghen’s lawyers, Adegboyega Awomolo and Ogwu James Onoja, both Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) for ensuring the resolution of the issue