A retired Director at the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, Mr Awal Yakassai, on Thursday, testified as for the second prosecution witness, PW-2, in the ongoing trial of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, who is facing trial over his alleged failure to declare his assets.


Yakassai told the Mr Danladi Umar led a three-man panel of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, that contrary to what was alleged in the media, he said the suspended CJN owned only five houses.

He said it was not true that CCB investigators linked the ownership of 55 houses to the defendant.

The witness made the disclosure after he was shown copies of Justice Onnoghen’s asset declaration forms, which the Federal Government tendered in evidence before the CCT.

The embattled CJN was said to have submitted the forms marked as Exhibit 2 and 3, to the CCB in 2014 and 2015.

Answering questions under cross-examination, the PW-2, told the tribunal that he served at the CCB for 29 years before he retired in April 2018.

He said the CCB was yet to verify Justice Onnoghen’s assets with a view to finding out if he made false declarations

Holding the two documents in his hand while responding to a question from Onnoghen’s lawyer, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, the witness said: “My lord, according to exhibit 2 and 3, the defendant has only five buildings and not 55”.

Awomolo noted that one of the five buildings was given to the defendant by the federal government itself.

Continuing his testimony, the witness, told the tribunal that verification columns on Onnoghen’s two asset declaration forms were still empty.

He said: “As indicated here, the column for verified assets have not been signed as at today” he added, saying it was standard practice at the CCB that returned asset declaration forms must pass through three stages of verification.

“My lord we have three stages of verification, the first is at the time of submission of forms, the second is what we called conference verification whereby we invite the person. And the third is physical verification of the assets.

“Until these three stages are completed, we cannot say that the assets have been verified”.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the CCB, Danladi Umar, had earlier threatened to give 28 years jail term to journalists that misrepresent proceedings on the CJN’s trial,

Umar, who said he was displeased about “the distortion and misrepresentation” of what transpired at the tribunal last Monday by a section of the media, warned that he would henceforth wield his powers against journalists.

“Henceforth, any journalist carrying concocted or discredited statement which is not adduced before this tribunal, I will not hesitate to bring the full weight of the law heavily on the person.

“The journalist will languish there and may remain there (in prison) until I retire about 28 years from now.

“The person will be summarily sent to prison because that is contempt.

“It does not matter whether the contempt is committed in facie curiae (before the court) or ex facie curiae (outside the court)”, he fumed.

The CCT boss has given FG’s lawyer, Mr Aliyu Umar, the nod to call a second witness to give evidence against the suspended CJN who is answering to a six-count charge.

Aside allegation that he failed to declare his assets as prescribed by the law, FG had in the charge marked CCT/ABJ/01/19, FG, alleged that Onnoghen operated five foreign bank accounts, contrary to section 15(2) of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.

FG had insisted that it was the CCB that okayed Onnoghen’s trial based on certain infractions that were discovered in his asset declaration forms.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/03/cct-trial-onnoghen-owns-only-5-houses-not-55-ex-ccb-director-testifies/amp

CHAI!!!! ZOMBIES WILL NOT LIKE THIS

He said: “As indicated here, the column for verified assets have not been signed as at today” he added, saying it was standard practice at the CCB that returned asset declaration forms must pass through three stages of verification.

“My lord we have three stages of verification, the first is at the time of submission of forms, the second is what we called conference verification whereby we invite the person. And the third is physical verification of the assets.

“Until these three stages are completed, we cannot say that the assets have been verified

CCB HAS NOT EVEN VERIFIED THE CLAIMS YET BUHARI HAS RUSHED TO COURT SMH!!!

I remember when the fake news broke out that Onnoghen has 55 house, the social was awash with insults from APC minions calling him all sorts of name, now the truth is gradually coming out.

Little wonder Onnoghen insisted that he will go for the trial because he has a responsibility to defend his long built Image and integrity which has been battered and raped shamelessly.


Shame on all those involved in this campaign of calumny especially their e-diots.


And funny enough they will never tender apology for their ignorance and stupidity.

The Nation
Punch
Others must be sanctioned for misleading Nigerians by Umar Danladi

They had to rush the whole thing just to get Onoghen out before election, even without evidence! Bubu so desperate

Buhari simpy continued the vendetta and witch hunt of the 1983-1985 era in the name of fighting corruption

PaChukwudi44:


CCB HAS NOT EVEN VERIFIED THE CLAIMS YET BUHARI HAS RUSHED TO COURT SMH!!!

The Bureau De Change ex-CJN has been sacked and very soon, he will be jailed. He admitted that he "forgot" to declare substantial parts of his assets. After he is jailed, you can then go and be visiting him in Kirikiri prison.

RichBoy247:


The Bureau De Change ex-CJN has been sacked and very soon, he will be jailed. He admitted that he "forgot" to declare substantial parts of his assets. After he is jailed, you can then go and be visiting him in Kirikiri prison.

IF ONLY YOU WERENT DAFT YOU WILL HAVE REALISED THAT TEH CCT HAS NO POWERS TO SEND ANYONE TO JAIL

Integrity, integrity weeping

Buhari is just a devil. Imagine osinbajo keeping quiet about this. It will never be well with the useless osinbajo and his boss Adeboye

RichBoy247:


The Bureau De Change ex-CJN has been sacked and very soon, he will be jailed. He admitted that he "forgot" to declare substantial parts of his assets. After he is jailed, you can then go and be visiting him in Kirikiri prison.

Trash and poor thought process lacking in understanding of the fact of the matter.

Na wah for this country oh.... APC fit make u kill person before him time when dem release their media trial on the person oh

Lalasticlala

Turning our institution upside down because of greed.We the citizens need to find our way out from this old cargoes rulling us.We sell and pay your chinese suppliers in RMB.

Chinashopping84:
Turning our institution upside down because of greed.We the citizens need to find our way out from this old cargoes rulling us.We sell and pay your chinese suppliers in RMB.

God will help us

Paperwhite:
Buhari simpy continued the vendetta and witch hunt of the 1983-1985 era in the name of fighting corruption

you call this vendetta? The cjn voted in previous supreme court election rulings in favour of buhari and this is what buhari can repay him with. Vendetta is repaying evil with evil, this is a case of repaying good with wickedness.

it's not about what he declared, it's about what he didn't declare. He can declare 5 houses, but what stops him from owning 10 more that are not captured.in his assets declaration form?

bastardmod:
Buhari is just a devil. Imagine osinbajo keeping quiet about this. It will never be well with the useless osinbajo and his boss Adeboye

May God forgive you sir

asfrank:
it's not about what he declared, it's about what he didn't declare. He can declare 5 houses, but what stops him from owning 10 more that are not captured.in his assets declaration form?

If the ones he declared had not been verified, how did they get to verify the ones they claim he didn't declar?

Everything in Nigeria are upside down

na me get the remaining 50


Yeye government

Victory at last

from 55 to 5. believe me that is a very poor return.
even his bank account speaks volume

Media trial

The evil Buhari govt planted fake news that the poor man had 55 houses and billions of Naira in his account all in a bid to sway public opinion against him but today he has been vindicated.. I gather The reason Buhari doesn't want this man to be CJN is that Buhari has vowed that he will never let a kafir or Christian swear him in on May 29th ..

More tori coming