To conclude its case, the prosecution called three witnesses out of the six listed to give evidence. Two more witnesses were called at the trial of the suspended chief justice of Nigeria.

The first was a retired director at the Code Of Conduct Bureau, Awal Yakassai who said the suspended CJN submitted two assets declaration forms for 2014-2015 on December 14, 2016.

Under cross-examination by Onnoghen’s Counsel Adegboyega Awomolo, the witness admitted that the columns for verification of the contents of the forms remained blank and unsigned and Onnoghen owned only five houses contrary to 55 houses that were alleged.

The third prosecution witness was a standard chartered bank official, Ifeoma Okagbue who was subpoenaed by the court. In her testimony, she gave some details of the balances on the five different accounts belonging to Justice Onnoghen.

Okeagbue, who is the team leader, priority banking, as well as Onnoghen’s relationship manager said all the bank accounts were still active and the accounts opened separately between 2009 and 2010 were in euro, pounds, dollar and naira denominations.

Led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Aliyu Umar, Okeagbue said the euro and the pounds accounts were savings, the dollar account was current and the two other accounts were in naira denominations.

Going through the statements of the accounts earlier admitted as exhibits, Okeagbue said, “on the account 5001062686, the opening balance in January 2018 was €30,178.58.

As at December 2018, the balance was €10,187.18.

In the account No. 5001062693, at January 2018, it was with an opening balance of N6,411,312.77, while in  December 2018, the balance was N12,852,580.52.

On account No. 5001062679 the opening balance as at January 2018 was £39,456.08 and in December 2018 the balance was £13,730.70.

On account 0001062667, the opening balance as at January 2018 was N24,280,904 and by December 2018, the balance was N2,656,019.21.

And on account 0001062650, in January 2018, the opening balance was $80,824.25, and by January 2019, the balance was $56,878.

Shortly after, the defendant finished cross the examination of the third prosecution witness, the prosecution counsel, Aliyu Umar announced that he will not be calling the remaining three witnesses but close its case.

Awomolo informed the tribunal of its intention to invoke section 303 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015 and asked the tribunal again for record of proceedings.

Earlier, the chairman of the tribunal, Danladi Umar, threatened to imprison journalists who misrepresent the ongoing proceedings till his retirement in 28 years’ time

The tribunal, therefore, adjourned hearing in the no case submission to March 29.