Onnoghen: CCT chairman threatens journalists with a 28-year imprisonment

Emmanuel AmudaMarch 21, 2019

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The Chairman of the Code of Conduct of Tribunal, Danladi Umar, has threatened to imprison journalists who misrepresent the ongoing proceedings on the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.

Onnoghen is being prosecuted before the CCT by the Federal Government on charges of false and non-declaration of assets.

Reacting to what he described as some newspapers’ distortion and misrepresentation of the last Monday’s proceedings of the trial, Umar said any journalist who commits such infraction again might have to remain in prison until his retirement in 28 years’ time.

He said, “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 (prison) and may remain there until I retire – that is 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).”

Umar, who brought copies of the newspapers that published the stories he complained about, made the remarks at the beginning of Thursday’s proceedings.

Meanwhile, the prosecution led by Mr. Aliyu Umar (SAN), called the second prosecution witness shortly after the tribunal chairman made his remarks.

In his testimony, the second prosecution witness, Mr. Awal Yakassai, a retired director at the Code of Conduct Bureau, said he received from Onnoghen two assets declaration forms for years 2014 and 2018 on December 14, 2016.