Court grants N100 million bail to ex-CCT chairman Danladi Umar who tried Tinubu for assets fraud

A High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Kekemeke, has granted bail to Danladi Umar, the former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), who is facing charges of abuse of office.

Recall that Mr Umar, a former justice, led a three-member judicial panel to probe Bola Tinubu (now President Bola Tinubu) in a high-stakes 2011 trial for asset declaration fraud. But he acquitted Mr Tinubu of any wrongdoing, admitting he had been pressured by the higher-ups to convict him.

Justice Kekemeke on Wednesday granted Mr Umar bail in the sum of N100 million with one surety, who must possess a certificate of occupancy of a property in Abuja.

The court, however, ordered that the former CCT chairman be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre until he fulfils the bail conditions.

In his ruling, Justice Kekemeke held that the prosecution failed to establish that Mr Umar would interfere with witnesses, despite arguing that the witnesses were members of staff of the CCT during his tenure as chairman.

Mr Umar pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Counsel to Mr Umar informed the court that a bail application had been filed on behalf of the defendant and urged the court to grant the application.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Mr Umar with abuse of office.

According to the EFCC, Mr Umar allegedly used his wife’s bank account in 2021 to receive N5.5 million from a contractor engaged to paint the headquarters of the CCT in Abuja.

The anti-graft agency further alleged that on January 25, 2024, Mr Umar again used his wife’s bank account to receive N6 million from a contractor responsible for the digitisation of the tribunal’s records.