The federal government on Thursday closed its case of non-asset declaration charges against the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, after calling three out of the six witnesses listed for the trial.
Onnoghen is being prosecuted by the federal government on a six-count charge bordering on alleged failure to disclose some of his assets in his Asset Declaration forms submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
However, the prosecution counsel, Aliyu Umar (SAN), Thursday announced that the prosecution is closing its case shortly after the defendant finished the cross examination of the third prosecution witness, Ifeoma Okagbue, an official of Standard Chartered Bank.
The prosecution in its application for the trial had said it would be calling six witnesses to prove its case against Onnoghen.
However, at the end of the cross examination, the lead prosecution counsel said though they initially listed six witnesses for the trial, it would not be calling on the remaining three, adding that he is offering them to the defence for cross examination if they so wished.
But, the counsel to the defendant, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), said the defence does not need the witnesses, adding that the prosecution can go ahead to close its case if it so wishes.
Shortly after the prosecution announced the closure of its case, Awomolo informed the tribunal of its intention to invoke section 303 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
He pleaded with the tribunal to allow him prepare a written address and urged the chairman to order the registry to make record of proceedings available to him to guide him in the written address.
The prosecution did not object to the application, prompting the tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar, to make an order on the registry to avail parties in the matter with the record of proceedings.
He also ordered that the record must be made available to the parties on Monday and adjourned hearing in the no case submission to March 29.
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