Former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, was on Thursday remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre after pleading not guilty to four corruption charges filed against him by the Federal Government.
Umar was arraigned before Justice Peter Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, on charges brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleging that he used his position to obtain financial benefits through contractors engaged by the tribunal.
At the commencement of proceedings, prosecuting counsel, Christopher Mshelia, informed the court that the matter was scheduled for arraignment. The charges were subsequently read to the defendant, who entered a plea of not guilty to all counts.
Following the plea, the prosecution requested a date for trial and urged the court to remand Umar in custody pending the commencement of proceedings.
However, defence counsel, Sunday Edward, applied for bail, arguing that the former tribunal chairman was prepared to stand trial and would not abscond.
The prosecution opposed an immediate hearing of the bail application, stating that it had only received the application late on Wednesday and required time to respond.
Justice Kekemeke adjourned the matter until July 15 for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that Umar be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his request for bail.
According to the charge sheet, the Federal Government alleged that Umar, while serving as Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and head of its Tenders Board, improperly benefited from contracts awarded by the tribunal through payments made to members of his family.
Prosecutors alleged that in October 2021, Umar caused a subcontractor involved in a painting contract at the tribunal’s headquarters to pay N5.5 million to his wife, Zulaihatu Danladi Umar.
The government further alleged that in January 2024, another company linked to a contractor awarded a digitalisation project by the tribunal paid N6 million to Umar’s wife.
In two additional counts, the prosecution accused the former CCT chairman of causing the same company to pay over N2 million each in tuition fees to Baze University on behalf of his daughter, Faiza Danladi Umar, and his son, Yakuba Danladi Umar, in October 2024.
The EFCC contends that the payments amounted to corrupt and unfair advantages obtained through Umar’s office, contrary to the provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The case is expected to resume on July 15 when the court will consider the defendant’s bail application.