Court Remands Ex-CCT Chairman Danladi Umar In Kuje Prison Over Alleged Kickbacks
Court Remands Ex-CCT Chairman Danladi Umar In Kuje Prison Over Alleged Kickbacks
According to the prosecution, investigations revealed that Umar used his wife’s bank account to receive N5.5 million from a contractor awarded the contract to paint the headquarters of the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja in 2021.
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has remanded the former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, in Kuje Correctional Centre after he was arraigned by the Federal Government on a four-count charge bordering on alleged corruption and abuse of office.
Justice Peter Kekemeke ordered Umar’s remand on Thursday after the Federal Government formally docked the former CCT chairman over allegations that he abused his office by receiving illicit payments from contractors while serving as head of the tribunal.
According to the prosecution, investigations revealed that Umar used his wife’s bank account to receive N5.5 million from a contractor awarded the contract to paint the headquarters of the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja in 2021.
The Federal Government further alleged that on January 25, 2024, the former tribunal chairman again used his wife’s account to collect N6 million from another contractor handling the digitisation of the CCT’s records.
In another count, the prosecution accused Umar of directing a contractor to pay N2.43 million for his daughter’s tuition at Baze University, Abuja.
The alleged offences are said to contravene Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
When the charges were read, Umar pleaded not guilty to all four counts.
Following his plea, prosecution counsel, Christopher Mshelia, urged the court to remand the defendant in a correctional facility and fix a date for the commencement of trial.
However, Umar’s legal team applied for his release on bail pending the determination of the case.
The prosecution opposed the immediate hearing of the bail application, informing the court that it had only just been served with the application and required time to file a response.
After listening to both parties, Justice Kekemeke adjourned proceedings until July 15 to hear the bail application and ordered that Umar be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing.
Umar’s arraignment comes years after he presided over one of Nigeria’s most controversial judicial proceedings involving the removal of then Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen.
On January 23, 2019, while serving as Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Umar issued an ex parte order that paved the way for the suspension of Onnoghen as Chief Justice of Nigeria.
Two days later, then-President Muhammadu Buhari swore in the next most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Tanko Muhammad, as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.
Although Onnoghen later resigned from office on April 4, 2019, Umar proceeded to convict him on April 18, 2019, over allegations of false asset declaration.
Following the conviction, Umar ordered the forfeiture of funds in five bank accounts belonging to the former CJN and removed him from his positions as Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).
