Embattled Chief Judge of Nigerian (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen has opened up on how he came with huge foreign currency in dollar which he said he forgot to declare in his asset acquisitions.
In a document he submitted to relevant authorities, copy of which Greenbarge Reporters stumbled on, justice Onnoghen said that he did not include his Standard Chartered Bank Account in SCN. 000014 because he belivied they were not opened during the period covered by the declaration.
He said that he did not make a fresh declaration of asset after his substantive appointment as CJN because he was under the impression that his SCN. 000015 was to cover the period of four years which include his leave as CJN.
“The deposits made in my US Dollar account No. 87000106250 with STD. Chartered Bank of $10,000 at different intervals of 28/6/11 were sourced partly from my reserve and saving from my estacodes including medical expenses. The same applies to my deposit of 27/7/11 of the sum of $10,000 twice.
“It is important to state that prior to my opening the US dollar account I had foreign currency which I kept at home due to the fact that there existed a government that proscribed the operation of foreign currency account by Public officers including judicial Officers. It was when I got to know that the policy had changed that I had to open the said account. Upon opening the account, I was made to understand that I cannot pay in more than $10,000 at a time and per payment slip. I cannot remember the total amount I had on reserved if the time but it spread from my practice days as a private legal practitioner from 1979 – 1989.
“Some of the deposits are a result of forex trading AGRICODE and other investment returns were from proceeds of my investments into them.
“The withdrawals in the account are partly to pay children fees and upkeep abroad and further investments. My British Pound and Euro accounts with Chartered Standard Bank are savings accounts.”
