The Code of Conduct Tribunal has adjourned the trial of Justice Walter Onnoghen to February 13, 2019.
The adjournment followed an application made by the Defence Counsel Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), at the resumed hearing of the case on Monday.
At the tribunal, Onnoghen’s lawyer argued that the matter should be adjourned to a later date because Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), had petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) against his client.
“Our application is that proceedings be further adjourned, so it does not result in double jeopardy before the tribunal and the NJC,” he said.
“In the interest of of due process we want the NJC to look into this matter.”
Awomolo informed the tribunal that the AGF had submitted a petition to the NJC on the same subject matter which necessitated the matter before the tribunal and to avoid the defendant suffering double jeopardy, the need for adjournment became imperative.
The Prosecutor Aliyu Umar (SAN) did not oppose the application.