By Vivian Okejeme
Abuja
A former Deputy Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Mr. Rasheed Taiwo Owolabi, has accused the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, (CCT) Mr. Danladi Yakubu Umar of corruption and bias.
He, therefore, demanded that Umar should disqualify himself from the panel that will try him on false asset declaration charges.
Owolabi claimed that Umar, in 2012, shortly after the charge was slammed on him, approached him for a bribe of N10m for him to pervert the cause of justice in a criminal matter filed by the federal government.
In his motion on notice filed by his counsel Mr. Festus Ukpe, the applicant claimed that he reported Umar to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which prompted his arrest and interrogation on the alleged bribery request.
Owolabi also claimed that he “will never get fair trial and justice from the CCT boss, having implicated him in the bribery saga and which led to the ongoing trial of his Personal Assistant, Ali Gambo Abdullahi for criminal offence at an Abuja High Court.
The defence counsel predicated the motion asking Umar to disqualify himself on five issues, among which was that during the pendency of his trial, he made several allegations of graft against the CCT chairman, which led to the trial of his PA in respect of the allegation.
It read: “The defendant filed an application – a motion on notice seeking the tribunal to strike out the case. This motion is supported with affidavit and written address. The application bordered on the issue of fair hearing by the affidavit in support of this application, it is clear that the defendant will likely not get fair hearing if the present charge is allowed to continue.
However, in opposing the motion, the CCB, which on behalf the federal government filed the charge against the ex-customs chief, urged the tribunal chairman to dismiss the motion on the ground that it lacks merit.
Counsel to the CCB, Mr. Peter Danladi, who is prosecuting the defendant told the tribunal that the motion was a ploy to further delay the trial, adding that the tribunal had in 2013 filed a motion at the court of appeal but abandoned the appeal.
The tribunal chairman, Umar fixed June 14 for ruling on the motion.
