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Nigerians React After Bank Official Releases Onnoghen’s 5 Accounts Balances
Nigerians from various backgrounds have reacted after an official of Standard Chartered Bank, Ms. Ifeoma Okeagbue, gave details of the balances on the five different accounts belonging to the suspended Chief Judge of Nigeria [CJN], Justice Walter Onnoghen.
Ms. Okeagbue, Team Leader, Priority Banking, and Onnoghen’s Relationship Manager at the Wuse II, Abuja, branch of the bank, gave the details during trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal [CCT] on Thursday.
Okeagbue said: “On the account 5001062686, the opening balance in January 2018 was €30,178.58.
“As at December 2018, the balance was €10,187.18.
“On account 5001062693, at January 2018, it was with opening balance of N6,411,312.77.
“At December 2018, the balance was N12,852,580.52
“On account 5001062679, the opening balance as at January 2018 was £39,456.08 and by December 2018 the balance was £13,730.70.
“On account 0001062667, the opening balance as at January 2018 was N24,280,904 and as at December 2018, the balance was N2,656,019.21.
“On account 0001062650, as of January 2018, the opening balance was $80,824.25, and by January 2019, the balance was $56,878.”
Also speaking at the Tribunal was a prosecution witness, former Director at the Code of Conduct Bureau [CCB], Mr. Awal Yakassai.
Mr. Yakassai dismissed the idea of any unathorised person tampering with the document in the absence of CCB’s knowledge.
He said: “All returned forms are kept under lock and key in most secured place at the CCB.
“It is only with the permission of the Chairman that the forms can be accessed”.
The witness said he was not aware it the CCB Chairman authorised the group that wrote the petition that led to Onnoghen’s trial, to have access, make photocopy or take away the Certified True Copy of returned asset declaration forms in custody of the Bureau.
Yakassai admitted that the petitioner quoted details of Onnoghen’s asset declaration forms, his account numbers, verbatim, indicating that they had access to the forms in custody of the CCB.
Asked if he would agree that it is a criminal offence for anyone to hack into the archives of the CCB, the witness said he does not know.
“Honestly I don’t know what happened here so I can’t say anything about it. I don’t know if the CCB had ever reported to the police or any other agency that the CCB records were hacked into”.
Speaking further, he added that “indicated here, the column for verified assets have not been signed as at today”.
He noted that it was standard practice at the CCB that returned asset declaration forms must pass through three stages of verification.
“My lord we have three stages of verification, the first is at the time of submission of forms, the second is what we called conference verification whereby we invite the person. And the third is physical verification of the assets.
“Until these three stages are completed, we cannot say that the assets have been verified”.
Nigerians react:
Olushola Olufolabi:
“The whole Justice Onnoghen’s account balance can hardly buy two of the motorbike Buhari’s son rides. Buhari’s son just concluded his NYSC meanwhile Onnonghen has served our Judicial system for decades. Cooking up false charges to bring people down its the lowest of lows.
The whole account balance can hardly buy two of the motorbike Buhari's son rides. Buhari's son just concluded his NYSC meanwhile Onnonghen has served our Judicial system for decades. Cooking up false charges to bring people down its the lowest of lows
— Olushola Olufolabi (@olushola_shola) March 21, 2019
The whole account balance can hardly buy two of the motorbike Buhari's son rides. Buhari's son just concluded his NYSC meanwhile Onnonghen has served our Judicial system for decades. Cooking up false charges to bring people down its the lowest of lows
— Olushola Olufolabi (@olushola_shola) March 21, 2019
Another anonymous writer said: “God will never forgive all those that joined in denting the image of the suspended Chief Justice.”
David O Ani on Facebook:
“I said few months ago that if you believed and circulated the so called admittance of guilt by CJN Onoghen, then, you should stop discussing politics.
“I also knew and said it when BMC started building 55 houses for CJN.
“Now that they are in court, every propaganda has fallen flat. Ndi iberibe. These guys are shameless…..!”
When we say the "witch hunt" is for selfish benefit, some people shout: "No, PMB is a saint". This shows the kind of person we placed at the helm of our country's affairs. This is sad
— BÁÁMOFÍN (@AbolajiOladayo) March 22, 2019
And the innocent legal Professor VP warned that the case was being fast tracked as the expense of probity and doing the right thing.
He was, as usual, ignored.
Why now?😩🙄
— Apple of God’s Eye🌍 (@BrosManney) March 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/ogheneraro/status/1108977843227238400
These people are just enemies of this nation .Is the whole money too much for a CJN to have in his geniuely opened accounts,having served for over 30years? Haba!!!
— EDIT SUPERIOR (@obaa71) March 21, 2019
If the chief justice doesn't worth those published amount……
Then he needs deliverance……
Did he start legal profession yesterday?…..
It takes hardworking to attain such height………
Wetin b d work of those ordering for bullion van?…
— Mrs Uncommon sense. (@MrSmart92014543) March 22, 2019
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