The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, has ordered the remand of the former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, in the Kuje Correctional Centre.
CANDID REPORTERS learnt that that the decision was taken on Thursday when the court heard the alleged corruption charges against Umar.
Justice Peter Kekemeke issued the remand order after the federal government arraigned the former CCT boss on four counts of corruption.
According to the federal government, its investigations revealed that the defendant abused his official position by conferring an undue advantage on himself while he served as head of the tribunal.
It was alleged that in 2021, he used his wife’s bank account to collect the sum of ₦5.5 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 ₦6 million from a contractor who handled the digitisation of the CCT’s records.
Also, the defendant was accused of directing another contractor to pay ₦2.43 million as his daughter’s tuition 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.
Umar, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following his plea, the prosecution counsel, 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.
However, the defendant, through his legal team, urged the court to release him on bail pending the determination of the case.
Justice Kekemeke thereafter adjourned the case until July 15 to hear the defendant’s application for bail.
Recall that in 2024, the Senate sacked Danladi Umar as the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
The sack of Umar follows the closed-door session of the lawmakers in which the lawmakers approved the removal of the embattled CCT Chairman.
The Senate announced that more than 84 lawmakers supported the decision to remove Umar from office.
The Senate invoked section 157(1) of the 1999 constitution which stipulates that 2/3 of the membership of the Senate can remove the head of any statutory body alleged to have indulged in gross misconduct and misdemeanour in office.
The lawmakers had earlier moved into an executive session to discuss the allegations against Umar following a motion moved in the Order Paper by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.
It was titled, “Invocation of the provision of Section 157 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended for the removal of the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal.”
The Senator observed that the CCT boss had fallen short of the requisite standard of a public officer to conduct the affairs of such a Tribunal.
He said the lawmakers have received a series of petitions, complaints and allegations of corruption and misconduct against the chairman.
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