THE Federal Government will on March 15, 2018, arraign the Chairman of Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, over an allegation of receiving N10 million from one Rasheed Owolabi Taiwo.

The charge, marked CR/109/18 was filed on behalf of the Federal Government by Festus Keyamo SAN, at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.

Umar is presiding over the trial of Senate President, Bukola Saraki over allegation of false assets declaration and money laundering.

The date was fixed by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on Wednesday.

The CCT Chairman will be docked before the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Ishaq Bello.

It would be recalled that Danladi Umar had on June 14, 2017 discharged and acquitted the President of Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki of the 18-count charges preferred against him by the Federal Government at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

Umar had insisted that the Federal Government could not substantiate evidence it made against Saraki. Saraki was prosecuted on an 18-count charge bordering on false asset declaration and other related offences preferred against him in September 2015.

Consequent upon the outcome of the CCT trial, the FG headed to the appellate court to seek redress. But the Court of Appeal on December 12, 2017, ordered the CCT led by Umar to try Saraki on 3 Counts, having upheld the decision of Umar that dismissed 15 out of the 18-charges.

However, Umar’s latest ordeal started following a petition written against him dated June 20, 2013 by Rasheed Owolabi Taiwo.

In the recent development, Umar is being prosecuted by the FG on a 2-count charge.

Count one reads, “That you, DANLADI YAKUBU UMAR, being the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and presiding over a case with Charge No. CCT/ABJ/03/12, involving one Rasheed Owolabi Taiwo, sometime in 2012, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did ask for the sum of N10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira) from the said Rasheed Owolabi Taiwo, for a favour to be afterwards shown to him in relation to the pending Charge (No. CCT/ABJ/03/12) in discharge of your official duties and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 12(1)(a) & (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2003”.

Count two reads, “That you, DANLADI  YAKUBU UMAR, being the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and presiding over a case with Charge No. CCT/ABJ/03/12, involving one Rasheed Owolabi Taiwo, sometime in 2012, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did receive the sum of N1,800,000.00 (One Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) from the said Rasheed Owolabi Taiwo, through your Personal Assistant by name Alhaji Gambo Abdullahi, for a favour to be afterwards shown to him in relation to the pending Charge (No. CCT/ABJ/03/12) in discharge of your official duties and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 12(1)(a) & (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2003”.

In a bid to prosecute the CCT Chairman, the FG stated it would rely on the following documents to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

They include a petition dated 20th June, 2013, by Rasheed O. Taiwo; Statement of the Defendant; Zenith Bank Statement of Taiwo Rasheed Owolabi; Zenith Bank Statement of Ali Gambo Abdullahi; Copy of Zenith bank Cheque of Taiwo Rasheed Owolabi and Copy of Zenith Bank Cheque of Ali Gambo Abdullahi.

Others include, all processes and documents in Charge No. CCT/ABJ/03/12; Statements of Witnesses; Other relevant documents and Proof of Evidence.

More so, Keyamo revealed that the FG will be calling the following as witnesses. They are Rasheed Owolabi Taiwo, Alex Ebbah and Reuben Omosynho, all of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission; Abdulmajeed Ibrahim; Mohammed Bala; and Staff of Zenith Bank, Abuja (on witness summons to tender documents). – Independent

– Feb.  14, 2018 @ 19:05 GMT |