The Senate President, Bukola Saraki has faulted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCCs) letter, clearing the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) chairman, Justice Danladi Umar.
Umar was being investigated by the EFCC over an alleged N10m fraud incident.
The
Senate President also said the fact that EFCC cleared the CCT chairman,
is proof that he (Saraki) cannot get a fair trial at the tribunal.
Saraki’s lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede who spoke on his behalf said “We
are not saying he (Umar) is guilty. We are saying he is tainted and
that he cannot act independently while the EFCC that is investigating
him and had indicted him is now prosecuting our client before him. That
is why we asked him to excuse himself from the trial.
“He
did so before in the case involving former FCT Minister, Jeremiah
Useni, where he excused himself from the hearing on the ground that he
had close relationship with Useni. We are asking him to do so again now
because of the facts that we have presented.”
Oluyede also cited some documents that was purportedly written by former EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde that said the CCT chairman “might
have demanded and collected money from the complainant (Taiwo) through
his Personal Assistant (PA). Efforts made to recover the telephone
handset used by Justice Umar proved abortive as he claimed that he had
lost the telephone in 2012.
“This has
made it impossible to subject it to independent scientific analysis with
a view to corroborating the allegation. 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.”
Justice
Danladi Umar last week, ordered security men to throw out Oluyede for
insisting on presenting a motion seeking the CCT chairman’s withdrawal
from the case involving the Senate President.
