The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Yakubu Umar, before Justice U. P. Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja, over an alleged N15.59 million fraud.
According to an official signed statement by the Head, Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, Umar, who also served as Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal Tenders Board, was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on nepotism and conferring corrupt advantage upon himself to the tune of N15,587,833.76.
The statement disclosed that one of the charges alleged that on October 5, 2021, while serving as Chairman of the CCT and its Tenders Board, Umar caused the sum of N5.5 million to be paid by Kurchmives International Limited, a subcontractor on a CCT painting contract, into the Keystone Bank account of his wife, Zulaihatu Danladi Umar, thereby conferring a corrupt and unfair advantage upon himself.
Another count alleged that on January 25, 2024, Umar caused Portal Realities Limited, a sister company of JTF Global Links Limited, which handled the digitalisation of the Code of Conduct Tribunal’s management records, to pay N6 million into his wife’s Zenith Bank account, contrary to the provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The EFCC stated that the offences are contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and punishable under the same section.
Umar pleaded not guilty to all four charges when they were read before the court.
Following his plea, prosecution counsel, Christopher Mshelia, urged the court to fix a trial date and order the defendant’s remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of the case.
Counsel to the defendant, S. Edward, however, applied for his client’s bail.
Justice Kekemeke adjourned the matter until July 15, 2026, for hearing of the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja.
