Onnoghen’s driver testifies at CCT, provides receipt as evidence

The driver of suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, on Monday gave evidence as the first defence witness in the ongoing trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

The witness, Alhaji Lawal Olanrewaju Busari, who was led in evidence by Onnoghen’s lead counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), told the tribunal that he is a Chief Driver/Mechanic at the Supreme Court of Nigeria and he has been the driver of the defendant since 1999.

He gave evidence of how he drove Justice Onnoghen to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in 2010 to obtain his assets declaration forms.

“On July 28, 2010, my lord called me that we should go to the office of CCB at Asokoro. When we got there, he collected the asset declaration form. After collecting he asked me if I wasn’t going to collect mine. I collected and filled mine too.

“On November 3, 2010, my lordship gave me N200 to go and pay for asset declaration at the FCT High Court revenue office. I paid to the cashier and I returned the original receipt to my Lord,” he said.

When the receipt was sought to be tendered in evidence, the prosecution counsel, Aliyu Umar (SAN) objected to its admissibility.

However, the tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar, overruled the objection and admitted the document as Exhibit D2.

Continuing with his evidence, the witness said after the payment at the FCT High Court, he and Justice Onnoghen submitted the asset declaration forms at the office of the CCB in Abuja. He said they were not given acknowledgement of receipt by the CCB on the day they submitted the forms.