The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Yakubu Umar, before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, over alleged fraud involving N15.59 million.
Umar, who also served as Chairman of the Tribunal’s Tenders Board, was arraigned on Thursday before Justice U. P. Kekemeke on a four-count charge bordering on alleged abuse of office, nepotism and conferring corrupt advantage on himself.
According to the EFCC, the former CCT chairman allegedly facilitated payments totalling N15,587,833.76 to his wife through companies that benefited from contracts awarded by the tribunal.
One of the charges alleged that in October 2021, Umar caused a subcontractor handling the painting of the Code of Conduct Tribunal headquarters to pay N5.5 million into his wife’s bank account, while another charge accused him of directing a contractor involved in the tribunal’s records digitisation project to pay N6 million to her in January 2024.
The anti-graft agency said the alleged actions contravened Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to all four charges.
Following his plea, prosecution counsel Christopher Mshelia asked the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendant in the Kuje Correctional Centre pending trial, while defence counsel S. Edward applied for bail.
Justice Kekemeke adjourned the case until July 15, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that Umar be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending further proceedings.