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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Yakubu Umar, before the High Court in Abuja, over alleged fraud involving N15.5 million.
Umar, who also served as Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal Tenders Board, was brought before Justice U.P. Kekemeke on Thursday on a four-count charge bordering on nepotism and on allegedly conferring a corrupt advantage on himself.
The EFCC accused the former tribunal chairman of using his position to facilitate payments totalling N15,587,833.76 to his wife, Zulaihatu Danladi Umar, through accounts linked to two separate transactions.
According to the charge sheet, the first alleged offence occurred on October 5, 2021, when N5.5 million was allegedly paid to his wife by Kurchmives International Limited, a subcontractor under a contract awarded by the Code of Conduct Tribunal to Momanaf Global Ventures Limited for the internal and external painting of the tribunal’s headquarters.
The EFCC also alleged that another payment of N6 million was made on January 25, 2024, through Portal Realities Limited, a sister company of JTF Global Links Limited, which was awarded a contract to digitalise the Code of Conduct Tribunal’s management records.
The commission said the alleged actions violated Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, which deals with corrupt advantages involving public officers.
Umar pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him in court.
Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Christopher Mshelia, requested a trial date and asked the court to remand the former tribunal chairman at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.
However, Umar’s defence counsel, S. Edward, applied for bail.
Justice Kekemeke adjourned the matter until July 15, 2026, for hearing on the bail application and ordered that Umar remain in custody at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending further proceedings.
