The Presidency has stated that President Muhammadu Buhari’s war against corruption is is for all categories of people of people in the society and its neither political nor partial.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, stated this in a press release to disclose the president’s reaction to the conviction of Justice Walter Onnoghen, the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria.
He stated that the conviction of the former head of the nation’s judiciary arm of government by the Code of Conduct Tribunal was one of the major triumph of the anti corruption war of the President Muhammadu Buharo-led Federal Government.
In his statement, the main purpose of the rule of law in a democratic settings is to make everyone irrespective of their status in the society accountable before the law.
Shehu stated that the result of the trial shows clearly that ”the law is no respecter of persons, titles, social or political connections”.
“The rule of law will lose its meaning and validity if only the weak, the poor and powerless are punished for their violations of the law.
”Countries succeed because the rule of law is evenly upheld and enforced. The war against corruption would go nowhere if the high and mighty are spared because of their influence and connections.
”You can’t fight corruption by allowing impunity because the rule of law cannot function where impunity is tolerated.”
The presidential aide stated that the conviction of the embattled Chief Justice would send a message that the battle against corruption would be ”spread widely to hold public officials accountable, whether they are politicians, judges, civil servants or holding positions of public trust.
While delivering judgment on the case the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal Justice Danladi Umar stated that
“The tribunal, having considered the case of the prosecution and documents tendered without objection, find the exhibits tendered worthy of consideration.
“The evidence of Prosecution Witness 1, Prosecution Witness 2 and Prosecution Witness 3 was not disputed.
“The statement of the defendant made in his handwriting alluding to forgetfulness to declare the five accounts is enough to hold that the defendant clearly contravened the Code of Conduct for Public Officer.”
Convicting the former CJN, the tribunal chairman stated that “Having regard to Section 23(2) of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and Bureau Act, the defendant has clearly contravened the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and he is here by convicted.”
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