I forgot to make a declaration of my assets after the expiration of my 2005 declaration in 2009 – CJN Onnoghen (SEE FULL ANSWER TO HIS QUERY)

The petition against the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen came into surface after the Anti-Corruption and Research-Based Initiative sent a petition to CCB and the EFCC alleging that the CJN declared a false asset declaration.

The group said the CJN, Nigeria’s most senior judicial officer, maintained illegal accounts containing foreign currencies and did not declare them.

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In his response to the queries raised by the CCB, Mr Onnoghen wrote as follows:

“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 charted 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 said in his statement dated January 11.

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Sebastian Hon, a senior advocate of Nigeria, told PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday it is “more political than it is honest”.

“While I know that the Chief Justice of Nigeria does not enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution, I see this move by the Federal Government as dangerously political and tendentious,” he said.

“Suddenly, we woke to see a petition leaked to the informal or social media, allegedly received by the Code of Conduct on 9th January, 2019. Suddenly, we are told charges have been filed against the CJN. Why this supersonic rush?”

Mr Onnoghen was first appointed acting CJN on November 10, 2017 following the retirement of the former CJN, Mahmoud Mohammed.

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His appointment as acting CJN came amidst criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari’s failure to forward his name to the Senate for confirmation as the most senior judge.

On February 8, 2017 Vice President Yemi Osinbajo returned Mr Onnoghen’s name for confirmation to the Senate on March 1.

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Mr Onnoghen was subsequently sworn into office as Nigeria’s 17th CJN on March 8, 2017.