Court stops FG from freezing five Bank Accounts belonging to Justice Walter Onnoghen

– The Federal High Court in Abuja has stopped the Federal Government from freezing five bank accounts belonging to suspended CJN Justice Walter Onnoghen

– The Court made it known that for the Federal Government to do so, it has to receive a court order

According to a new report, the Federal High Court in Abuja has stopped the Federal Government from freezing bank accounts belonging to suspended Chief Judge of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen

The report made it known that the presiding judge, Justic Ijeoma Ojukwu declared that the Attorney General of the Federation AGF cannot freeze the bank accounts of Justice Walter Onnoghen without a court order.

This latest development comes after the federal government, through the AGF and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), ordered the NFIU to freeze five bank accounts belonging to the suspended CJN pending the outcome of his trial with the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

Justice Ifeoma Ojukwu gave the directives while ruling on an ex parte application filed by the Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEAP) against the Federal Government, the AGF and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).

A copy of the order which made public yesterday read: “That the AGF shall first obtain an order of court (ex parte) before freezing the accounts of Justice Onnoghen Nkanu Walter Samuel (in respect of Exhibit B) in compliance with the law if, it was not obtained.

“That where it is shown that the order of court was obtained before the freezing of the accounts contained in Exhibit B, the freezing order shall remain valid.

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“That order to be served on the respondents pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

The order revealed that the case has been adjourned to 13th day of February 2019 for report/motion on notice.