Justice Walter Onnoghen, suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), has closed his case at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
Mr Chris Uche, Onnoghen’s counsel told the tribunal that haven reviewed all the evidence and testimonies before the tribunal, the defence has come to the conclusion to close its case and will be applying in line with rule 14 of the tribunal to file their final address.
He then stated that to ensure that they file a written address that will take into consideration all that has been put before the tribunal, they will be asking for 14 days to file all their addresses and leave it to the tribunal to decide one way or the other.
However, Mr. Aliyu Umar, the prosecutor, responding to Onnoghen’s counsel said that even though the defence had told him they will be asking for 14 days the practice direction of the tribunal did not make any specific time for that and so it is at the discretion of the tribunal.
Umar, then, agreed that parties need enough time to be able to put together their final addresses and that whatever time is given to the defence the same amount of time should be given to the prosecution.
The tribunal had adjourned to today to enable a director with the CCB in Benin who was subpoena by the tribunal to testify on behalf of the CJN.
