The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has finally served the criminal charges of false asset declaration directly to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN,) Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, in his office at the Supreme Court complex, Abuja.
An official of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), who asked for anonymity, confirmed that the charge and summons have been personally received by the CJN on Monday.
He said the CJN personally appended his signature to the summons when the officials of the tribunal took it to his office at the Supreme Court on Monday. He said the entire process was smooth as the CJN told the tribunal officials that he was already waiting for them.
The source said the officials that went to serve the summons went in company of some police officers attached with the tribunal so as to make the movement seamless.
He added that the rumoured siege on the CJN office must have been as a result of the presence of the policemen.
It will be recalled that the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) had filed a six-count charge against the CJN before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) over alleged failure to declare his asset upon assumption of office as provided in Section 15 (1) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act C15, punishable under Section 23 (2) (a) (b) and (c) of the same Act.
But the arraignment of the CJN was stalled after the defence team of over 90 lawyers led by Wole Olanipekun (SAN) informed the chairman of the CCT, Justice Danladi Umar that he has not been served personally as provided under Section 123 of the ACJA.
The case was subsequently fixed for January 22 for arraignment.
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