A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama has ordered the remand of former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Mr. Danladi Umar, in Kuje prison.
Justice Peter Kekemeke gave the order on Thursday after the Federal Government arraigned Umar on a four-count charge of corruption.
The government alleged that the former CCT boss abused his office and diverted public funds while in office.
In 2021, he allegedly used his wife’s bank account to collect the sum of N5.5 million from a contractor engaged to paint the headquarters of the CCT in Abuja.
The federal government further alleged that on January 25, 2024, the defendant also used his wife’s account to collect N6 million from a contractor who handled the digitisation of the CCT’s records.
Besides, the defendant was accused of directing another contractor to pay N2.43 million for the tuition fee of his daughter at Baze University, Abuja.
He was said to have committed offences punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
He pleaded not guilty to the allegations. The prosecution counsel, Mr. Christopher Mshelia, applied for his remand in a correctional facility, even as he urged the court to set a date for the commencement of trial.
But the defendant, through his legal team, urged the court to release him on bail pending the determination of the case.
Opposing the request, the anti-graft agency drew the court’s attention to the fact that it had just been served with the bail application, saying it needed time to respond to it.
Justice Kekemeke adjourned the matter until July 15,2026 to hear the defendant’s application for bail.
While in office as CCT Chairman, the defendant issued a controversial ex parte order on January 23, 2019, which resulted in the removal of serving Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.
Sequel the ex parte order, the late President Muhammadu Buhari, on January 25, swore in the next most senior jurist of the Supreme Court, Justice Tanko Muhammad, to take over the leadership of the judiciary as Acting CJN.
