The Court of Appeal in Abuja has discharged and acquitted a former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen of the charges that led to his removal from office in 2019.
A three-man panel of the court led by Justice Mohammed Bello made the ruling on Monday.
Onnoghen was suspended from office on January 25, 2019, by former President Muhammadu Buhari barely a month before the presidential election which saw Buhari re-elected.
Onnoghen’s suspension came hours after he announced his decision to inaugurate judges who would preside over election petition tribunals.
The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) convicted him of six charges which included false declaration to the Code of Conduct Bureau.
However, six years later, the appellate court acquitted him following a settlement agreement the former CJN had with the federal government led by President Bola Tinubu.
In line with the terms of the settlement dated October 24, the appellate court ordered the government to unfreeze Onnoghen’s account with Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited.