The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the compulsory retirement of the Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Walter Onnoghen, based on “incontrovertible” findings on him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC).

It asked President Muhammadu Buhari to give effect to the recommendation immediately.

But the NJC urged the President to allow Justice Onnoghen retain his seat as a former CJN in the Council of State.


The council also said the CJN should be retired with full benefits.

According to a source, who pleaded not to be named “because of the sensitivity of the matter”, the compulsory retirement of Justice Onnoghen was the major highlight of NJC’s meeting yesterday.

All NJC members were said to have decided not to comment on the meeting because “it would not be right to do so when a letter has been sent to the President on their decision.” He should get the letter before any comment, the source said.

The source said: “The NJC has been able to navigate the most challenging moment for the nation’s judiciary by recommending compulsory retirement of Onnoghen with full benefits.

“The NJC specifically demanded that the CJN be allowed to take his eminent position in the Council of State like his predecessors.

“If these recommendations are accepted, the Executive may be on the same page with the Judiciary by staying action on the ongoing trial and other pending trials of the CJN.”

The NJC may have adopted a “win-win approach” to ensure that the Executive and the Judiciary are on the same page.”

Another source familiar with how the NJC arrived at its decision said the “EFCC’s report on Justice Onnoghen was damning and incontrovertible”.

The anti-graft agency accused the CJN of “being in possession of funds which are fairly not attributable to his known, provable and legitimate source of income”.

The opening of a dollar account in Standard Chartered Bank for the CJN by a lawyer, Joe Agi, with $30,000 was said to be unhealthy.

The EFCC had accused Justice Onnoghen of being unable to account for curious deposits in his accounts.

The anti-graft commission alleged that deposits had accumulated to $1,716, 000.

The amounts in the said account were deposited as follows: $74,200 (2009); $291,800 (2010); $340,000 (2011); $625,000 (2012); $298,000 (2013); $40,000 (2015) and $47,000 (2016). The total was $1,716,000.

The agency also accused Justice Onnoghen of depositing $1,716,000 in a United States dollar account operated with the Standard Chartered Bank in 2009, marked as exhibit P4 C, between 2009 and 2016.

The petition said: “From the evidence on record, it is clear that the Respondent failed to declare all the accounts and funds in exhibit P4-P4D when he declared his 2014 asset in November 2016. Your lordship will observe that the Respondent only declared his salary account with the Union Bank exhibit P3 and failed to declare P4-P4D, which are the accounts that warehoused funds that are far above the Respondent’s known and provable lawful income.

“My lords, by the provisions of Rule 1.2 of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, it is clear that because members of the public expect a high standard of conduct from a judge, the Respondent is under the obligation to avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all his activities both in his professional and private life. It is our submission my lords, that any conduct of the Respondent that give rise to the appearance of impropriety is a judicial misconduct and same is punishable under the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.

“It is our humble submission that the petitioner proved before this Honourable Panel that the Respondent was in possession of funds which are fairly not attributable to his known, proveable and legitimate source of income. The evidence shows that my lord earned a monthly salary in the sum of N750,819.87, which is about N9,000,000.00 per annum. My lords, as shown in exhibit P10A page 14 paragraph XXVI, the Respondent only earned the sum of N91,962,362.49 as salary between September 2005 and October 2016. It is also on record that the exhibit P3 is the salary account of my lord wherein his salaries are paid.

“My lords, the evidence before this Honourable Committee shows clearly that the Respondent opened United State Dollars account with the Standard Chartered Bank in 2009, exhibit P4 C. This USD account was opened by Mr. Joe Agi SAN and the first cash depositor of United States of America dollars into the said account. We humbly refer my lords to the entry of the 29th day of June,2009.

“Though the Respondent claimed that he was the one who gave the learned SAN, Joe Agi the $30,000.00 to deposit to exhibit P4C, the Respondent could not give any reasonable explanation as to the source of this money. My lords, the Respondent admitted under cross-examination that the USD was not his salary and that he only received dollars as estacodes which is meant for his official trips.

“My lords, upon the opening of the USD account exhibit P4C, a lot of cash deposits in Dollars were made to this account. The evidence before my lords is that between 2009 and 2016 a lot of cash deposits were made into exhibit P4C.

“My lords, from the evidence before this Honourable Panel, it is clear that these huge sums of money were not earned by the Respondent as his salaries and allowances. It is our humble submission that the burden of proving the legitimate source or origin of the sum of $1,716,000.00 lies heavily on the Respondent.”

The amounts in the said account were deposited as follows: $74,200 (2009); $291,800 (2010); $340,000 (2011); $625,000 (2012); $298,000 (2013); $40,000 (2015) and $47,000 (2016). The total was $1,716,000.

Source: http://thenationonlineng.net/njc-advises-buhari-to-retire-onnoghen-over-1-7m-cash/amp/

Tinubu's thenationonline has started another round of lies against the CJN.
Where is the millions of dollars found in the CJN's account?
See how they've carefully rehashed allegations that d CJN has previously responded satisfactorily to and the cashier + the chief registrar corroborated?
Funny how same ppl are constantly being used to undermine the South.

GOOD MOVE, CORRUPTION MUST LEAVE NIGERIA. YET SOME IDIOTIC PDP FELLOW TAKES HIM AS THEIR HERO

dokyOloye:
Tinubu's thenationonline has started another round of lies against the CJN.

Where is the millions of dollars found in the CJN's account?.Funny how same ppl are constantly being used to undermine the South.

I mean this nation is a terrible country.Just imagine these horrible lies after the FG itself became helpless about the lies its has peddled against the CJN.

[s]

ubongokon:
GOOD MOVE, CORRUPTION MUST LEAVE NIGERIA.
YET SOME IDIOTIC PDP FELLOW TAKES HIM AS THEIR HERO

[/s]

ubongokon:
GOOD MOVE, CORRUPTION MUST LEAVE NIGERIA.
YET SOME IDIOTIC PDP FELLOW TAKES HIM AS THEIR HERO

EBOT

Honestly speaking APC is evil. The type of wicked politics they have brought into the system will hurt this country for decades.
I read the submission of the CJN in defence of those petty allegations, and I wept for this country. His defence was comprehensive with verifiable facts , highly logical and reasonable, and you wonder why the executive will even initiate this process in the first place.

Now look at the rubbish being written up there. Look at how they put it "
The opening of a dollar account in Standard Chartered Bank for the CJN by a lawyer, Joe Agi, with $30,000 was said to be unhealthy."
First of all this simply a domicilliary account that commoners have these days, is what they are making an issue for a CJN having.

Secondly, look at how they are making noise about $30K, while Osibanjo has such account with a balance of $900K , Osibanjo that was a mere commissioner for justice compared to the CJN?, Hypocrisy.

What I am sure is the evil politics being played by APC will still turn back and hurt them, Rochas and Amosun can attest to that.

Why won't the NJC give such recommendation when they all are in the same boat and possibly guilty of the same charges.

It is all a decoy to set a precedence and grant themselves the same soft landing just incase the torch light beams on them too someday.

Justice auctioneers parading as true Justices..

THE JUDICIARY IS ALSO CORRUPT

Where are the goats that were supporting the corrupt thief Smh

Racoon:
I mean this nation is a terrible country.Just imagine these horrible lies after the FG itself became helpless about the lies its has peddled against the CJN.

Tell us the lie since you that is in that your one room boys quarters knows more than Malami,EFCC and the Federal Government.

dokyOloye:
Tinubu's thenationonline has started another round of lies against the CJN.
Where is the millions of dollars found in the CJN's account?
See how they've carefully rehashed allegations that d CJN has previously responded satisfactorily to and the cashier + the chief registrar corroborated?
Funny how same ppl are constantly being used to undermine the South.

Keep quiet, supporter of looters

Afamed:

Keep quiet, supporter of looters

Programmed zombie.

The nation newspaper thrash as usual.

From55 houses

Billions of dollar's

To this


Tueeeeee

clarocuzioo:
Honestly speaking APC is evil. The type of wicked politics they have brought into the system will hurt this country for decades.
I read the submission of the CJN in defence of those petty allegations, and I wept for this country. His defence was comprehensive with verifiable facts , highly logical and reasonable, and you wonder why the executive will even initiate this process in the first place.

Now look at the rubbish being written up there. Look at how they put it "
The opening of a dollar account in Standard Chartered Bank for the CJN by a lawyer, Joe Agi, with $30,000 was said to be unhealthy."
First of all this simply a domicilliary account that commoners have these days, is what they are making an issue for a CJN having.

Secondly, look at how they are making noise about $30K, while Osibanjo has such account with a balance of $900K , Osibanjo that was a mere commissioner for justice compared to the CJN?, Hypocrisy.

What I am sure is the evil politics being played by APC will still turn back and hurt them, Rochas and Amosun can attest to that.

Clever by half, having billion dollar in the account is not the problem, the problem becomes what's the source of the billion in your account. The problem becomes why did the ex CJN refuse to declare such money in his account. Osinbajo didn't hide the money in his account when he became the vp. The problem we are having in the country is majorly from people like you. You are here defending the Ex CJN with million of undeclared dollar in his account of which what you will eat this money is yet to be known to you. Lazy youth, to you Osinbajo was a mere commissioner. Perhaps. you didn't know Osinbajo was a senior Lecturer at University of Lagos for many years, Lazy youth, you didn't know Osinbajo was a practicing lawyer for many years which earned him the SAN. PMB was right to refer to you as Lazy youth

Afamed:

Clever by half, having billion dollar in the account is not the problem, the problem becomes what's the source of the billion in your account. The problem becomes why did the ex CJN refuse to declare such money in his account. Osinbajo didn't hide the money in his account when he became the vp. The problem we are having in the country is majorly from people like you. You are here defending the Ex CJN with million of undeclared dollar in his account of which what you will eat this money is yet to be known to you.

Have you been following the case at all ?

Afamed:

Clever by half, having billion dollar in the account is not the problem, the problem becomes what's the source of the billion in your account. The problem becomes why did the ex CJN refuse to declare such money in his account. Osinbajo didn't hide the money in his account when he became the vp. The problem we are having in the country is majorly from people like you. You are here defending the Ex CJN with million of undeclared dollar in his account of which what you will eat this money is yet to be known to you. Lazy youth, to you Osinbajo was a mere commissioner. Perhaps. you didn't know Osinbajo was a senior Lecturer at University of Lagos for many years, Lazy youth, you didn't know Osinbajo was a practicing lawyer for many years which earned him the SAN. PMB was right to refer to you as Lazy youth

Do you ever read his reply

SarkinYarki:


Have you been following the case at all ?

Am not sure he has.

APC people just spinning out figures anyhow abiut

SarkinYarki:


Have you been following the case at all ?

Keep quiet, defender of looters. You can't know more than the panel members that recommended his sack.

engineerboat:


Am not sure he has.

APC people just spinning out figures anyhow abiut

Keep quiet, chief wailing wailer. You can't know more than the people that recommended his sack

Afamed:

Clever by half, having billion dollar in the account is not the problem, the problem becomes what's the source of the billion in your account. The problem becomes why did the ex CJN refuse to declare such money in his account. Osinbajo didn't hide the money in his account when he became the vp. The problem we are having in the country is majorly from people like you. You are here defending the Ex CJN with million of undeclared dollar in his account of which what you will eat this money is yet to be known to you. Lazy youth, to you Osinbajo was a mere commissioner. Perhaps. you didn't know Osinbajo was a senior Lecturer at University of Lagos for many years, Lazy youth, you didn't know Osinbajo was a practicing lawyer for many years which earned him the SAN. PMB was right to refer to you as Lazy youth

You must have been a certified lazy Youth for not using your given brain to verify News before running around with fake assumptions

Afamed:

Keep quiet, defender of looters. You can't know more than the panel members that recommended his sack.

the NJC did not recommend his sack , stop believing this fake the nation newspaper propaganda meant to test the ground to see how Nigerians will react.


Me supporter of looters? last time I checked I am not one supporting a thief who drove 2 bullion vans of looted money into his house

Afamed:

Keep quiet, chief wailing wailer. You can't know more than the people that recommended his sack

Reccomend his sack you say

By who?

APC The nation news paper NJC chapter ago.

engineerboat:

Am not sure he has.
APC people just spinning out figures anyhow abiut

Onnoghen is gone, your background noise remains inconsequential

SarkinYarki:


the NJC did not recommend his sack , stop believing these fake the nation propaganda meant to test the ground

Consolation is allowed, Onnoghen is gone, your background noise is inconsequential

engineerboat:


You must have been a certified lazy Youth for not using your given brain to verify News before running around with fake assumptions

I don't exchange Banters with kids. Next time, be decent in your choice of words

Afamed:

I don't exchange Banters with kids. Next time, be decent in your choice of words

Certified lazy BMC

engineerboat:



Certified lazy BMC

Kiss the truth, your leader isn't getting millions of dollars this time around from the Electoral judgment. No cash and carry Judgement this time around

Afamed:

Kiss the truth, your leader isn't getting millions of dollars this time around from the Electoral judgment. No cash and carry Judgement this time around

Certified lazy BMC isn't that the case.

Running around with rumour


From he has 55 houses

Billions of dollar's


Now yo this again

Una no dey shame for this una certified lazy BMC lies

engineerboat:



Certified lazy BMC

Corrupt father begets corrupt son. Defender of looters, repent kingdom of God is knocking. You borrow data to defend a man with unexplained million of Dollars in his account. We will appease your village people