A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama has ordered the remand of former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, at the Kuje Correctional Centre after he was arraigned on corruption charges brought by the Federal Government.
The decision was made on Thursday by Justice Peter Kekemeke after Umar appeared before the court to answer a four-count charge. He pleaded not guilty to all the allegations.
According to the Federal Government, investigations showed that Umar abused his position while serving as chairman of the tribunal by receiving money through his wife's bank account from contractors handling projects for the CCT.
The prosecution alleged that in 2021, Umar received N5.5 million through his wife's account from a contractor hired to paint the CCT headquarters in Abuja.
The government also claimed that on January 25, 2024, another N6 million was paid into the same account by a contractor responsible for the digitisation of the tribunal's records.
In another allegation, Umar was accused of directing a contractor to pay N2.43 million for his daughter's school fees at Baze University in Abuja.
The Federal Government said the alleged actions violated provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
After Umar entered his plea, prosecution lawyer Christopher Mshelia asked the court to remand him in a correctional facility and fix a date for trial.
His lawyers, however, asked the court to grant him bail while the case is pending.
The prosecution opposed the request, saying it had only just received the bail application and needed time to study and respond to it.
Justice Kekemeke then adjourned the matter until July 15 to hear the bail application and ordered that Umar be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre until then.
Danladi Umar became widely known during his time as CCT chairman over his role in the trial of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen.
In January 2019, Umar issued an ex parte order that led to Onnoghen's suspension from office. Former President Muhammadu Buhari later appointed Justice Tanko Muhammad as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.
Although Onnoghen later resigned from office, Umar proceeded with the case and, in April 2019, found him guilty of failing to properly declare his assets.
The tribunal also ordered the forfeiture of funds in five of Onnoghen's bank accounts and removed him from his positions as Chairman of the National Judicial Council and the Federal Judicial Service Commission.
.jfif)
0 Comments
DISCLAIMER
The views and opinions expressed on this platform as comments were freely made by each person under his or her own volition or responsibility and were neither suggested nor dictated by the owners of News PLATFORM or any of their contracted staff. So we take no liability whatsoever for such comments.
Please take note!