A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama on Thursday ordered the remand of former Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Chairman, Mr. Danladi Umar, at Kuje prison.
Justice Peter Kekemeke made the order after the Federal Government arraigned the former CCT chairman on a four-count corruption charge.
The Federal Government said its investigation showed that Umar abused his office by giving himself an unfair benefit while serving as head of the tribunal.
It alleged that in 2021, he used his wife’s bank account to receive N5.5 million from a contractor hired to paint the CCT headquarters in Abuja.
The government also alleged that on January 25, 2024, he used the same account to collect N6 million from a contractor responsible for the digitisation of the CCT’s records.
According to the charge, Umar also instructed another contractor to pay N2.43 million for his daughter’s tuition at Baze University, Abuja.
He was accused of committing offences punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
After Umar pleaded not guilty, the prosecution lawyer, Mr. Christopher Mshelia, asked the court to remand him in a correctional facility and fix a date for trial.
His lawyers, however, asked the court to grant him bail while the case continues.
The anti-graft agency opposed the request, telling the court it had only just received the bail application and needed time to respond.
Justice Kekemeke then adjourned the matter until July 15 to hear the bail application.
Umar is remembered for issuing a controversial ex parte order on January 23, 2019, while serving as CCT chairman. The order resulted in the removal of then Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen.
Following the order, the late President Muhammadu Buhari, on January 25, swore in the next most senior Supreme Court justice, Justice Tanko Muhammad, as Acting CJN.
Although Onnoghen later resigned as CJN on April 4, Umar convicted him on April 18, 2019, over the Federal Government’s claim that he failed to properly declare his assets as required by law.
He also cleared the way for the Federal Government to confiscate money in five accounts belonging to the former CJN and removed him as Chairman of both the NJC and the Federal Judiciary Service Commission (FJSC).
