Former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, has been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre after being arraigned by the Federal Government over alleged corruption-related offences.
The development comes years after Umar presided over several high-profile cases, including the controversial trial and conviction of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.
The Federal Government on Thursday brought the former CCT chairman before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, where he was slammed with a four-count charge bordering on alleged abuse of office and corrupt practices.
According to the prosecution, Umar allegedly exploited his position as CCT chairman to obtain financial benefits from contractors handling projects for the tribunal. Investigators claimed that in 2021, he used his wife’s bank account to receive ₦5.5 million from a contractor hired to repaint the CCT headquarters in Abuja.
The government further alleged that on January 25, 2024, another ₦6 million was paid into the same account by a contractor responsible for the digitisation of the tribunal’s records.
Prosecutors also accused the former tribunal chairman of directing a separate contractor to pay ₦2.43 million for his daughter’s tuition at Baze University, Abuja.
The alleged offences are said to contravene Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Danladi Umar pleaded not guilty to all four charges when they were read before the court.
Following his plea, prosecuting counsel Christopher Mshelia asked the court to remand the former CCT boss in a correctional facility pending the commencement of trial.
His legal team, however, urged the court to grant him bail.
The prosecution opposed the request, explaining that it had only just received Umar’s bail application and needed time to file a response.
After hearing both sides, Justice Peter Kekemeke adjourned the matter until July 15 for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that Umar be remanded in Kuje prison pending the court’s decision.
Onnoghen Case Returns To Public Attention
The latest corruption charges have also revived public interest in Umar’s role in the 2019 removal of former Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Walter Onnoghen.
In January 2019, while serving as Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Umar issued an ex parte order that paved the way for the suspension of Onnoghen.
Following the order, then-President Muhammadu Buhari swore in Justice Tanko Muhammad as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.
Although Onnoghen later resigned from office, Umar proceeded to convict him over allegations of false asset declaration, ordered the forfeiture of funds in several bank accounts and removed him from key judicial positions.
The former CCT chairman is now set to return to court on July 15, when the court will consider his bail request before the corruption trial proceeds.
