The ongoing corruption trial of the former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Yakubu Umar, took a dramatic twist on Thursday as a prosecution witness detailed how he funneled millions of naira to the former tribunal chief’s family.
Testifying before Justice U. P. Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, the first Prosecution Witness (PW1), Oluwatayo Solomon Fashogbon, revealed that he transferred N6,000,000 to the bank account of Umar’s wife on direct instructions.
Umar is currently standing trial before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a four-count charge bordering on alleged nepotism and the conferment of corrupt advantages on himself, totaling N15,587,833.76.
Lucrative CCT Contract Award
Fashogbon, who serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Portal Realities Limited and JTF Global Links Limited, told the court that his journey with the tribunal began in September 2021 after he was instructed to submit corporate documents to the CCT’s Procurement Department.
He noted that the then Deputy Director of Procurement, Akinola Akanji, subsequently notified him that his company had secured a lucrative 12-month contract valued at approximately N140,000,000 for the digitalization of the tribunal’s personnel records, accounts, stores, and online filing systems.
According to the witness, the firm successfully received four payment installments under the agreement:
- First Payment: Roughly N9,000,000 disbursed to JTF Global Links’ Stanbic IBTC account in September 2021.
- Second Payment: Around N17,000,000 paid in December 2021.
- Third Payment: Approximately N16,000,000 disbursed in July 2022.
- Fourth Payment: About N17,000,000 processed on January 23, 2024.
Payouts to Wife and Children
The witness alleged that just two days after the fourth installment hit his company’s coffers, Umar personally contacted him to route a portion of the funds elsewhere.
”After the fourth payment, on 25th January 2024, Umar Danladi called me and said that I should make a payment of N6,000,000.00 to the account of his wife in Zenith Bank, Mrs Zulaihatu Danladi Umar,” Fashogbon testified, adding that the transaction was executed via Portal Realities’ Wema Bank account.
Beyond the cash transfer to the ex-chairman’s wife, Fashogbon revealed that he was further burdened with footing the university tuition for Umar’s children in October 2024. Acting on instructions relayed through Akanji, the contractor paid roughly N2,000,000 each for the former CCT boss’s son, Yakubu Danladi Umar, and daughter, Faiza Umar Danladi, into Baze University’s accounts using Portal Realities’ Jaiz Bank platform.
Court Proceedings and Adjournment
During the session, prosecution counsel Christopher Mshelia successfully tendered the official contract award letter, which was admitted and marked as Exhibit A after the witness authenticated the CCT logo, company signatures, and dates.
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Under cross-examination by the defence counsel, S. Edward, Fashogbon maintained that his companies were legitimately qualified for the public contracts based on merit and prior professional engagements with government bodies.
Justice Kekemeke has adjourned the matter to January 20, 2027, for the continuation of the trial.