The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of the former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar in the Kuje Correctional Centre.
The decision was taken on Thursday when the court heard the alleged corruption charges against Umar, it was learnt.
The former CCT boss was arraigned on four counts of corruption by the federal government, and Justice Kekemeke ordered the remand.
The federal government said its investigations found the defendant had abused his official position to give himself an unfair advantage while he was head of the tribunal.
He was accused of using his wife’s bank account to receive the sum of ₦5.5 million from a contractor engaged to paint the headquarters of the CCT in Abuja in 2021.
The government also accused the defendant of collecting ₦6 million from a contractor that digitized the CCT’s records on January 25, 2024 through the account of his wife.
In addition, the defendant was accused of instructing another contractor to pay the sum of ₦2.43 million as tuition fees for his daughter at Baze University, Abuja.
He was alleged to have committed offences under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Umar, however, denied the charges.
The prosecutor, Christopher Mshelia, after his plea, applied for his remand in a correctional facility and urged the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial.
However, the defendant through his counsel, pleaded with the court to admit him to bail pending the determination of the case.
Justice Kekemeke then adjourned the case to July 15 for the defendant’s application for bail.
Recall in 2024, the Senate dismissed Danladi Umar as the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
The sack of Umar follows a closed-door session of the lawmakers where they approved the sack of the embattled CCT Chairman.
The Senate said more than 84 senators backed the move to remove Umar from office.
The Senate hinged its action on section 157 (1) of the 1999 constitution which states that two-third of the membership of the Senate can remove the head of any statutory body alleged to have indulged in gross misconduct and misdemeanor in office.
Earlier, the lawmakers had adjourned into an executive session to deliberate on the allegations against Umar, following a motion moved on the Order Paper by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.
It was tagged “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 noted that the CCT boss did not meet the required standard of a public officer to run the affairs of such a Tribunal.
He said the legislators have received a series of petitions, complaints and allegations of corruption and misbehaviour against the chairman.
