My Hands Are Clean – Umar Insists

Source: thewillnigeria.com

SAN FRANCISCO, April 28 (THEWILL) – Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Justice Danladi Umar, has insisted that he has no case to answer following the clearance he received from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged bribe collection.

Umar made this known as he dismissed an application filed before by Ajibola Oluyede, one of the counsels representing the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, in the matter before the CCT over allegations of false asset declaration.

“The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) does not have investigative powers but prosecutory powers, while only the bodies established by law are invested with investigative powers,” he said.

“The EFCC is an autonomous body and not answerable to the AGF in carrying out its duty of investigation.

“It is on the basis of the fact there was no evidence from the petitioner that the EFCC believes there is no sufficient evidence to prosecute Justice Umar.

“The assumption that it is only the AGF that can exonerate is misconceived.

“The EFCC has the power to exonerate the person they are investigating if they cannot find enough evidence to continue with the prosecution.

“The former AGF had been informed by the EFCC in June 2014, about completion of investigation into the allegations of bribery, and even another letter in March 2015, to the present AGF on the same grounds, having been invited for probe by the House of Representatives.

“The petitioner failed to substantiate his claims of inundating phone calls made between the chairman and himself, to pay him N1.8 million by not producing his phone for investigation on call logs.”

He held that, the application for him to dissociate himself from the trial on allegations that he was bias was a mere issue of jurisdiction, and ruled it out in its entirety.

Oluyede in his response declared that he was going to appeal the ruling of the court.

Umar, in continuation of the trial however granted leave to the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, to file amended charges against Saraki as a result of the facts and evidences in the proof of evidence pursuant to Section 216 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.

Story by David Oputah