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| Justice Walter Onnoghen |
A Senior Investigation Officer of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Mr. James Apala, told the three-man bench of the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Monday, that he had no idea if his organisation keeps a central register of all assets declaration forms submitted to it by public officers.
He also said he had no idea of the number of assets declaration forms the bureau had issued from 1993 to 2019.
Apala said this under cross-examination by the defence led by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN).
The prosecution, which preferred six counts of false and non-declaration of assets against the suspended CJN, opened its case on Monday calling Apala as its first witness.
Apala had earlier ended his evidence-in-chief during which he was led by the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Aliyu Umar.
Six sets of documents, including the suspended CJN’s two assets declaration forms and bank account documents, were tendered and admitted as exhibits in his evidence-in-chief.
Under cross-examination which followed after he ended his evidence-in-chief, the witness was asked by the defence about his duties in his organisation and the organogram of the organisation.
Asked if “the CCB has a central register for all assets declaration submitted since 1993,” Apala said, “I have no idea”.
Awomolo also asked, “You do not also have the idea of the number of forms issued by the bureau in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019?”
In response, the witness said he had no idea.
Answering another question, the witness said, “It is a constitutional provision that you (a public officer) are expected to go to the nearest office of the bureau to declare your assets”.
The Danladi Umar-led tribunal has taken a short break.
