The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has acquitted former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, overturning his 2019 conviction by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on false asset declaration.

The three-member panel of the appellate court, headed by Justice Abba Bello Mohammed, acquitted Mr Onnoghen in a ruling on Monday.

The appellate court also ordered the bank to unfreeze his accounts frozen in 2019 maintained with Standard Chartered Bank (Nig) Ltd with immediate effect. 

The judgement of the appellate came after the ruling on an appeal filed by the former CJN, challenging his removal by the CCT. 

While discharging Mr Onnoghen from the conviction, the appellate court set aside the ruling of the CCT, led by Danladi Umar. 

The Appeal Court had in September granted the request of the federal government to settle out of court with the ex-CJN after he approached the court to challenge his removal from office. 

In an appeal, marked CA/ABJ/375, 376, 377/2019 filed through his counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), Mr Onnoghen had sought to quash his conviction on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction, bias, and the absence of a fair hearing.

Recall that Mr Onnoghen was removed from office by former President Muhammadu Buhari just before the 2019 general elections.

He was convicted on the six counts of breaching the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, brought against him by the federal government during his tenure as head of the judiciary.

The tribunal not only ordered his removal but also banned him from holding public office for 10 years and directed the forfeiture of five bank accounts he allegedly failed to declare between 2009 and 2015.