A Federal Capital Territory 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 charges of alleged corruption and abuse of office.
Umar, who was allegedly procured by the then ex-President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration, to issue an ex parte order that paved way for the suspension of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, is being tried for using his wife’s account number to receive kickbacks from contractors.
Onnoghen was eventually removed from office on alleged false assets declaration, and was replaced by Justice Tanko Muhammad, as Chief Justice of Nigeria.
Issuing Umar’s remand order on Thursday, Justice Peter Kekemeke, adjourned proceedings until July 15 for the bail hearing after listening to the argument of both defense and prosecution counsel.
Earlier, the prosecution argued that investigation 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 ordered that Umar be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing.
