CCT Conviction: Appeal Court sets date for FG, Onnoghen to give settlement report

The Court of Appeal in Abuja approved on Thursday the moves by the federal government and former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, to reach an out-of-court settlement in a case that stemmed from the ex-CJN’s trial and conviction by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in 2019.

It adjourned until 4 November for a report of settlement between the two parties.

The court gave the approval following submissions of both parties to the appeal indicating that they were actively engaging in talks aimed at resolving the issues amicably.

Then President Muhammadu Buhari controversially suspended Mr Onnoghen in January 2019 to keep him out of office while he faced assets declaration charges at the CCT. Mr Buhari based his action suspending Mr Onnoghen on a widely condemned ex parte order of the CCT.

Mr Onnoghen was later convicted by the tribunal in April 2019.

The tribunal ordered his removal from office, but his exit was eventually taken as a voluntary retirement…