EFCC arraigns ex-CCT chairman, Danladi Umar, for fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday arraigned the former chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, before the FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja, for fraud.

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According to the EFCC, Mr Umar received gratification from contractors who worked on projects for the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

The contractors sent monetary gratifications to Mr Umar’s wife and paid school fees for his children at Baze University, the EFCC said.

Kurchmives International Limited, a subcontractor under the contract awarded by the Code of Conduct Tribunal to Momanaf Global Ventures Limited for the painting of the Code of Conduct Tribunal’s headquarters, sent N5 million to his wife, Zulaihatu Umar’s Zenith Bank account.

Portal Realities Limited, a sister Company of JTF Global Links Limited, a Company awarded the contract for the digitalisation of the Code of Conduct Tribunal’s management records, sent N6 million to Mrs Umar’s account.

Portal Realities Limited paid over N4 million for Mr Umar’s children, Faiza and Yakubu, at Baze University.

According to the anti-graft agency, his actions violated Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

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The section criminalises the act of public officers who use their office to confer undue advantage on themselves, friends or family.

The offence attracts seven years’ imprisonment upon conviction.

Mr Umar denied the charges.

Thereafter, EFCC’s lawyer, Christopher Mshelia, asked that Mr Umar be remanded at a correctional facility.

READ ALSO: Groups, lawyer urge court to stop moves to replace Danladi Umar as CCT chair

However, Mr Umar’s lawyer, Edward Sunday, drew the court’s attention to the bail application he filed on behalf of his client.

Prosecution lawyer confirmed receiving the application at about 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday and asked for time to respond.

The trial judge, Peter Kekemeke, adjourned the bail hearing until 15 July and ordered that Mr Umar be remanded at a correctional facility till then.

Details of charges

Below are the details of the charges filed against the former CCT chair.

Count one

That you, Danladi Yakubu Umar, while serving as the of Conduct Tribunal and Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal Tenders Chairman of the Code Board on or about the 5th day of October 2021, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did confer upon yourself a corrupt and unfair advantage by causing the sum of N5,500,000.00 (Five Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira Only) to be paid to your wife, Zulaihatu Danladi Umar, through her Keystone Bank Account No. 6031167105 by Kurchmives International Limited a subcontractor under the contract awarded by the code of Conduct Tribunal to Momanaf Global Ventures Limited for Internal and External painting of the Headquarters of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 19 Of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and punishable under the same section.

COUNT 2

That you, Danladi Yakubu Umar, while serving as the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal Tenders Board, on or about the 25th day of January, 2024, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did confer upon yourself a corrupt and unfair advantage by causing the sum of N6,000,000.00 (Six Million Naira Only) to be paid to your wife, Zulaihatu Danladi Umar, through her Zenith Bank Account No. 2085458208 by Portal Realities Limited a sister Company of JTF Global Links Limited, a Company which was awarded the contract for the digitalisation of the Code of Conduct Tribunal management records by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related offences Act, 2000, and punishable under the same section.

COUNT 3

That you, Danladi Yakubu Umar, while serving as the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal Tenders Board, on or about the 9th day of October 2024, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did confer upon yourself a corrupt and unfair advantage by causing the sum of N2.043,916.88 (Two Million, Forty-Three Thousand Nine Hundred and Sixteen Naira, Eighty-Eight Kobo) to be paid to Baze University as Tuition Fee for your daughter, Faiza Danladi Umar, by Portal Realities Limited a sister Company of JTF Global Links Limited which was awarded a contract for the digitalization of the Code Of Conduct Tribunal management records by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 19 Of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and punishable under the Same section.

COUNT 4.

That you, Danladi Yakubu Umar, while serving as the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal Tenders Board, on or about the 9th day of October, 2024, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did confer upon yourself a corrupt and unfair advantage by causing the sum of N2,043,916.88 (Two Million, Forty-Three Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixteen Naira, Eighty-Eight Kobo, to be paid to Baze University as Tuition Fee for your son Yakuba Danladi Umar by Portal Realities Limited, a sister Company of JTF Global Links Limited, which was awarded a contract for the digitalisation of the Code of Conduct Tribunal management records by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and punishable under the same section.