An Abuja High Court on Thursday remanded former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, at the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Center after he was arraigned on four counts of corruption.
Justice Peter Kekemeke ordered Umar’s remand after the Federal Government, through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), brought the charges against him.
The judge adjourned the case until July 15 to hear Umar’s bail application.
The EFCC accused the former CCT chairman of abusing his office by allegedly receiving illicit payments through his wife’s bank account.
According to the anti-graft agency, Umar allegedly collected N5.5 million in 2021 from a contractor awarded the contract to paint the CCT headquarters in Abuja.
The commission further alleged that on January 25, 2024, he received another N6 million through the same account from a contractor handling the digitization of the tribunal’s records.
The EFCC also accused Umar of directing a separate contractor to pay N2.43 million as tuition fees for his daughter at Baze University, Abuja.
The alleged offenses are said to be contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Act, 2000.
Umar pleaded not guilty to all four counts.
During proceedings, EFCC counsel, Christopher Mshelia, urged the court to remand the defendant and fix a date for trial.
However, defense counsel, Sunday Edward, applied for bail, asking the court to release Umar pending the determination of the case.
Justice Kekemeke subsequently adjourned the matter until July 15 the hear the bail application and ordered Umar’s remand at the Kuje Custodial Center.
