MICHAEL AKINOLA
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 at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
Umar was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, on a four-count charge bordering on conferring undue advantage on himself while serving as the chairman of the CCT.
The former CCT chairman was accused of abused of his office by allegedly using his wife’s bank account to receive illegal payments from contractors handling projects at the tribunal.
The prosecution alleged that in 2021, Umar received N5.5 million through his wife’s account from a contractor awarded the contract to paint the headquarters of the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja.
He was also accused of collecting another N6 million on January 25, 2024, through the same account from a contractor responsible for the digitisation of the tribunal’s records.
In another count, the former tribunal chairman was accused of directing a contractor to pay N2.43 million as tuition fees for his daughter at Baze University, Abuja.
The alleged offences are said to contravene Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, which prohibits public officers from using their positions to confer corrupt or unfair advantages on themselves or others.
The former CCT boss pleaded not guilty to the charges preffered against him by the anti-graft agency.
After the not-guilty plea, the prosecuting counsel, Christopher Mshelia prayed the court to set a day for the commencement of trial and that the defendant be remanded at the Correctional Centre.
Counsel to the defendant, informed the court of the bail application filed on behalf of his client and urged the court to take the application
The prosecution counsel told the court that, they had just been served with the bail application and would need time to respond
The trial judge, Justice Peter Kekemeke adjourned the matter till July 15, 2026 for the hearing of the bail application of the former CCT chairman.
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