Former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, has been remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre after his arraignment before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama on allegations of abuse of office and corruption involving about ₦13.9 million.
Justice Peter Kekemeke ordered Umar’s remand on Thursday after the Federal Government filed a four-count charge accusing him of using his position to obtain undue financial benefits while serving as Chairman of the CCT.
According to the prosecution, Umar allegedly received ₦5.5 million through his wife’s bank account in 2021 from a contractor awarded the contract to paint the tribunal’s headquarters in Abuja. He was also accused of receiving another ₦6 million through the same account in January 2024 from a contractor engaged to digitise the CCT’s records.
The government further alleged that Umar directed another contractor to pay ₦2.43 million as tuition fees for his daughter at Baze University, Abuja.
The offences are said to contravene Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Umar pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Following his plea, prosecuting counsel Christopher Mshelia urged the court to remand the defendant and fix a date for trial. Defence counsel, however, sought his release on bail pending trial.
The prosecution opposed the bail request, stating that it had only just been served with the application and required time to file a response.
Justice Kekemeke subsequently adjourned the matter until July 15 for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that Umar be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre.
Umar’s tenure as CCT Chairman drew national attention in 2019 when he issued the controversial ex parte order that paved the way for the suspension of then Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen. The order enabled the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint Justice Tanko Muhammad as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.
Following Onnoghen’s eventual resignation, Umar convicted the former CJN over alleged false asset declaration and ordered the forfeiture of funds in five of his bank accounts to the Federal Government. The conviction also resulted in Onnoghen’s removal as Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Federal Judicial Service Commission.