Inside The Onnoghen Case: What’s Happening In Nigeria’s Latest Legal Scandal?
From the firing of 20 judges in Ghana in 2015 to the sacking of Nigeria’s Judge James Agbadu-Fishim over bribery claims last year, judicial scandals haven’t been uncommon in Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African countries. But the most recent case to rock the high end of the Nigerian judicial system, that of the Chief Justice of Nigeria Walter Onnoghen, has been widely followed in the country in recent weeks. He stands accused of false declaration of assets, and if convicted the move would represent a significant blow to the legitimacy of the Nigerian judicial system. But what exactly has taken place so far – and what is going to happen next?
The background
According to claims made by an anti-corruption professional, Onnoghen failed to make clear the value of his assets. Under Nigerian law, people who hold public office have to make this declaration on a very regular basis – once, in fact, every four years. But according to the claims made by Dennis Aghanya from the Anti-Corruption and Research-Based Data Initiative, the assets Onnoghen said he had back in 2005 didn’t match the amounts made public when he took up the Chief Justice role three years ago.
The latest this week
But there has been a significant shift in events this week – and one which will hold significance for this case in weeks to come. In a development which appears to represent the closeness of many members of the Nigerian judiciary, more than 130 high-level legal professionals from major legal institutions in Nigeria have said they would be happy to defend Onnoghen as part of his trial. This beats the figure reached by Senate President Bukola Saraki – who managed to get almost a hundred potential lawyers in place when he was himself looking for legal representation.
What will happen next?
According to press reports, the trial has now been pushed back until 28th January. Other than that, what comes next in this case really is anyone’s guess. It’s possible that Onnoghen will be convicted, although under the law there’s the option of acquittal depending on the findings of the court. But what is likely is that the Nigerian public will reflect on the level of support which he commands among his colleagues in the judiciary. So far, there are no reports of any particular individuals or businesses who have suffered as a result of the claims against Onnoghen – but people will begin wondering whether their country’s judges, lawyers and public officers of the law are too close for comfort.
The trial of Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen has had several twists and turns so far, and it’s likely that there’s more to come in the coming weeks once the trial gets underway. But the most recent development, which saw him receive a whole host of offers of support in terms of his legal defence, has been a significant one. Not only could it have wide-ranging repercussions for Walter Onnoghen himself as he goes through the judicial process he is supposed to lead, but it could also say something about the state of the Nigerian judiciary for years to come.
