The Court of Appeal in Abuja has discharged and acquitted former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen of the charges that led to his removal from office in 2019.
Justice Onnoghen was suspended by former President Muhammadu Buhari on January 25, 2019, just 29 days before the presidential election. President Buhari appointed Justice Tanko Muhammad, then the next most senior justice of the Supreme Court, to take over as CJN, a move that stirred controversy across the judiciary and legal circles. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) condemned the suspension, labeling it a “coup against the judiciary.”
The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) subsequently convicted Onnoghen on a six-count corruption charge filed by the Federal Government, alleging he made false declarations to the Code of Conduct Bureau.
However, nearly six years later, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Mohammed Bello, acquitted Onnoghen following a settlement agreement reached between the federal government and the former CJN. President Bola Tinubu, through Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, urged the court to halt proceedings on three appeals Onnoghen had filed to challenge his removal, conviction, and asset seizure.
As part of the settlement dated October 24, the appellate court directed the federal government to immediately unfreeze Onnoghen’s account with Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited.
 Justice Walter Onnoghen of the charges that led to his removal from office in 2019.){kind=link}