Nigeria: Chief justice guilty of declaring false assets

Nigeria's code of conduct tribunal on Thursday convicted the country's suspended chief justice on charges of false assets declaration -- the highest-ranking official to suffer such fate in the country.

By ranking, the chief justice is Nigeria’s fourth-highest official.

Walter Onnoghen is guilty of not declaring his bank accounts in line with the code for public officials, tribunal Chairman Danladi Umar held in a landmark ruling in the capital city Abuja.

Onnoghen, until January the chief justice of Nigeria, was suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari after he was accused of official corruption, including failing to declare his assets. 

The code of conduct bureau, which is responsible for setting the rules guiding public officials, had slapped a six-count charge against Onnoghen. He had denied wrongdoing.