By Chinedu Echianu
The immediate past Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, on Thursday pleaded not guilty to a four-count charge of alleged corruption brought against him by the Federal Government before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja.
Umar was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Peter Kekemeke on allegations that he abused his office by obtaining corrupt and unfair advantages through payments allegedly made by contractors to his wife and children.
The charges, filed on June 19, 2026, stem from Umar’s tenure as Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and Chairman of the Tribunal’s Tenders Board.
At the commencement of proceedings, prosecution counsel, Christopher Mshelia, informed the court that the matter was scheduled for arraignment. After the charges were read, Umar entered a plea of not guilty to all four counts.
Following the plea, the prosecution asked the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial and requested that the defendant be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending trial.
Defence counsel, Sunday Edward, however, applied for bail, assuring the court that his client would not abscond and would always be available to stand trial.
The prosecution opposed the immediate hearing of the bail application, arguing that it had only been served with the application at about 3 p.m. on Wednesday and required time to file a response.
Justice Kekemeke subsequently adjourned the matter until July 15, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application and ordered Umar’s remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of the application.
According to the charge sheet, the Federal Government alleged that Umar used his position to secure financial benefits for himself through companies awarded contracts by the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
In the first count, the prosecution alleged that on October 5, 2021, Umar caused Kurchmives International Limited, a subcontractor engaged under a painting contract awarded by the tribunal, to pay N5.5 million to his wife, Zulaihatu Danladi Umar.
The second count alleged that on January 25, 2024, Umar caused Portal Realities Limited, described as a sister company to JTF Global Links Limited, which handled the digitalisation of the tribunal’s management records, to pay N6 million to his wife.
In the third and fourth counts, the prosecution alleged that on October 9, 2024, Umar directed Portal Realities Limited to pay N2,043,916.88 each to Baze University as tuition fees for his daughter, Faiza Danladi Umar, and his son, Yakuba Danladi Umar.
The Federal Government maintained that the alleged actions amounted to conferring corrupt and unfair advantages on himself, contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and punishable under the same provision.
The case is expected to resume on July 15 for the hearing of Umar’s bail application.
