Saraki is now fighting back. Everybody yansh go open 4 dis matter. Hv bought my coke & popcorn. Watching in 3D. CCT Chairman, Saraki is coming 4 u. Wat do u hv 2 say 4 yrself?

Alleged Bribery: Group Drags CCT Chairman To Court, Says Former AG, Adoke Recommended His Sack
Posted By: THEWILL. Posted date: November 08, 2015

A non-governmental organisation, the Registered Trustees of Mission for Peace and Development Initiative, has dragged the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Justice Danladi Umar, before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, seeking an order compelling Umar to vacate his position as Chairman of the ‎ CCT.

The group is also praying the court to order the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to carry out the instruction of the former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and minister for justice, Mohammed Adoke, and prosecute the CCT Chairman for allegedly collecting bribe.

Alleging that the CCT Chairman had been recommended to the EFCC for prosecution by Adoke for alleged bribery, the group claimed that the justice minister’s recommendation was based on the report of the EFCC into allegation by a retired Comptroller of Customs, Mr. Rasheed Taiwo, that Umar demanded N10million bribe from him to help him quash a case against him.

The court processes filed last Friday listed Danladi Umar, CCT, ‎EFCC and the Attorney General of the Federation as 1st to 4th defendants respectively.

According to the group, apart from recommending Umar’s prosecution, the then AGF in a letter to former President Goodluck Jonathan dated 7th May, 2014 with reference number: HAGF/SH/2014/Vol./41, also advised the president to initiate move ‎to remove Umar from office as chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal because of the alleged corruption .

Adoke in the letter said: “‎I am of the humble opinion that the current state of affairs by which the tribunal is unable to seat while the institution is increasingly diminished by the pall of suspicion, should not be allowed to fester as it will expose the institution to public ridicule and undermine this administration’s efforts to combat corruption.

“In the light of the foregoing therefore, Your Excellency may wish to initiate the necessary steps for the removal of the chairman.”

Among the exhibits attached to the suit are the photocopy of the cheque‎ with which a bribe of N1.8 million was allegedly paid to Umar through Mr. Gambo Abdullahi, his Personal Assistant‎, the statement of Umar himself where he admitted meeting privately with the petitioner in his (Umar) office at the CCT, statements made by his P.A., Umar’s bail application, letter to former president Goodluck Jonathan by the two other members of the tribunal, among others exhibits.

In one of the exhibits, Mr Gambo Abdullahi, the Personal Assistant to Umar allegedly admitted collecting N1.8million from Mr Taiwo on behalf of his boss, Umar and that he allegedly handed the money to Umar by hand.

However, Gambo later recanted and ‎claimed that he collected the money for himself.

In its investigation report dated 24th June, 2014, signed by its Executive Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, the EFCC said: “Available circumstantial evidence suggests that the Tribunal Chairman might have indeed demanded and collected money from the complainant through his Personal Assistant.

“Efforts made to recover the telephone handset used by Justice Umar proved abortive, as he claimed that he had lost the telephone in 2012. Justice Umar also admitted that he met privately with the complainant in his chamber at the tribunal. This is a most unethical and highly suspicious conduct on his part.”

EFCC also said that there was overwhelming evidence to prosecute Umar’s PA because he, “could offer no coherent excuse for receiving N1.8million into his salary account from Taiwo, who is an accused person standing trial at the tribunal.”

EFCC said the N1.8million had been recovered‎. The commission also stated that Umar’s PA tried to cover up the reason for which the money was paid to him by making contradictory statements.

Two days later, precisely on 26th June, 2014, the AGF wrote back to Lamorde recommending Umar and his PA, Abdulahi be prosecuted.

Consequently the commission prepared a draft charge containing two counts against Umar and his PA. Curiously, however, the charge was never filed but it was exhibited in the instant action as Exhibit 19.

The plaintiff also exhibited a letter written to the then President, Jonathan, by two other judges who are members of the tribunal, Justices Robert Odu and W. Agwaza Atedze. They both called on the president to investigate the allegation that the chairman demanded N10 million bribe so as to save the tribunal from embarrassment.

Another letter, written by the former Secretary to the Federal Government, Anyim Pius Anyim, to the ECFF chairman was also attached to the suit as Exhibit 15. In the letter Anyim said that the tribunal could no longer sit because of the allegation against the chairman.

‎The Plaintiff, Mission for Peace and Development Initiative, is therefore asking the court to declare that by the combined effect of the provisions o of Rules 1, 5 (1) & (11), Rules 3, F, L, of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, Fifth Schedule Part 1, Paragraph 7 (B) Paragraph 9, 13, Part 11 & Paragraph 12 of the Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as altered, Sections 5, 10 (1), 13, 17 & 22 (3) of The Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, 1stDefendant (Umar) is not a fit and proper person to sit in judgment and preside over the affairs of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and dispense justice to all Nigerians who appear before it, irrespective of gender, tribe, religion, orpolitical persuasion, without fear or favour, malice or ill will, having run foul of the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, and other extant provisions.

It also asks the court to declare that by the combined effect of theconstruction of Rules 1, 5 (1) & (11), Rules 3, F, L, of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, Fifth Schedule Part 1, Paragraph 7 (B) Paragraph 9, 13, Part 11 & Paragraph 12 of the Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as altered, the 1st Defendant is not a fit and proper person and is estopped from sitting or further sitting in judgment and presiding over the affairs of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and dispense justice to all Nigerians who appear before it, irrespective of gender, tribe, religion, political persuasion, without fear or favour, malice or ill will, who appear before it, having run foul of the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers,by secret meeting with an accused person standing trial before him exparte, without the presence of the Prosecution, or Court Officials.

It asks for a declaration that by virtue of the combined effect of the provisions of Section 6 (b), (h) and Section 7 (1) (a) and (b)& (2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act, Cap., E1, LFN, 2004, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, sued as the 3rdDefendant herein, is under a statutory duty and obligation to prosecute the 1st Defendant having investigated him (1stDefendant), and found him culpable of the offences of conspiracy, bribery, abuse of office and money laundering, and having actually prepared a charge sheet against him, which charge has inexplicably not been filed till date.

I don carry my bread and akara since set watch in 3D

Both of them SHOULD be prosecuted! The matter don pass CCT chairman hand, cos the evidence against saraki are weighty..he could be 'forgiven' if he successfully prosecute saraki in exchange for his 'freedom'...if he messes up The judiciary and Saraki ud come for his head