The Code of Conduct Tribunal has fixed Thursday as the day for its final judgment on the charges of false and non-declaration of asserts preferred against Justice Walter Onnoghen.
The Judge who reportedly resigned on April 4 after an alleged resolution by the Nigeria Judicial council NJC, will know his fate as the prosecution led by Mr. Aliyu Umar (SAN), and the defence led by Mr. Okon Efut (SAN), adopted their final addresses to the The Danladi Umar-led three-man bench.
The defence in their final argument during the proceedings, maintained that the prosecution have so far failed to prove their cases beyond reasonable doubt and urged the tribunal to dismiss the case.
Efut observed that the charges were incompetent and unconstitutional as they were based on the provisions of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and Bureau Act which were in conflict with the relevant provisions of the Constitution.
However the leader of the prosecution, Mr. Umar said the defence team were attempting to reconfigure the concept of what constitute “proof beyond a reasonable doubt”.
He urged the tribunal to hold that the prosecution indeed proved the case beyond reasonable doubt and “return a guilty verdict”.
Adjourning till Thursday for judgment, the tribunal chairman, said the verdict would be delivered along with two pending rulings on Onnoghen’s applications, one challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to hear the case and another one asking the CCT chairman to disqualify himself from further presiding over the case for being allegedly bias.