Ex-CCT Chairman Umar Remanded in Kuje Prison

Umar, the former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), has been ordered to be remanded in Kuje Prison by Justice Peter Kekemek. He is facing four counts of charges brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which allege that he conferred undue advantage upon himself as the CCT chairman.

The allegations include collecting N5.5 million from a contractor for painting the CCT headquarters in Abuja and an additional N6 million for handling digital records at the CCT, all of which were allegedly deposited into his wife's bank account. Furthermore, he is accused of directing a contractor to pay N2.43 million as tuition fees for his daughter at Baze University, Abuja.

Umar has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The prosecuting counsel, Christoph Mshelia, requested time to respond to a bail application filed by Umar's counsel, leading Justice Kekemek to adjourn the matter until July 15, 2024, for a hearing on the bail application.

Notably, Umar previously presided over high-profile cases involving figures such as former Senate President Bukola Saraki and former Chief Justice of Nigeria Walter Onnoghen.