In the fight against corruption, the hunter has now become the hunted as a federal high court sitting in Abuja has been asked to sack the Chairman of Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Mr. Danladi Umar, over allegation of money laundering.
A group, Registered Trustees of Mission for Peace and Development Initiative, in the suit, accused the tribunal chairman of money laundering, bribery and other vices.
The group, through its counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) joined Code of Conduct Tribunal, EFCC and the Attorney General of the Federation as 2nd to 4th defendants.
In its originating summons brought pursuant to Orders 3 Rule 6 and 7 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules (2009), the plaintiff is asking the court whether upon a careful and combined construction of Rules 1, 5 (1) & (11), Rules 3, F, L, of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, Part 1, Paragraph 7 (B) Paragraph 9, 13, Part 11 & Paragraph 12 of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, As Altered, Sections 5, 10 (1), 13, 17 & 22 (3) of The Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, the 1st Defendant is a fit and proper person to sit in judgment over Nigerians and preside over the affairs of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and dispense justice to all manner of people who appear before it, without fear or favour, malice or ill will, having been investigated by the 3rd Defendant, (EFCC), and adjudged to have run foul of the provisions of the code of Conduct for judicial Officers and other extant provisions.
The plaintiff also wants the court to determine whether upon a careful and combined construction of Rules 1, 5 (1) & (11), Rules 3, F, L, of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, Part 1, Paragraph 7 (B) Paragraph 9, 13, Part 11 & Paragraph 12 of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as altered, the 1st Defendant is a fit and proper person and is estopped from sitting or further sitting in judgment over Nigerians and presiding over the affairs of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and dispense justice to all manner of people who appear before it, without fear or favour, malice or ill will, having run foul of the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, by secret meeting with an accused person standing trial before him exparte, without the presence of the Prosecution, and Court Officials.
In addition, the plaintiff wants the court to answer whether by virtue of the combined provisions of Section 6 (b) & (h) and Section 7 (1) (a) and (b) & (2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act, Cap., E1, LFN, 2004, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission sued as the 3rd Defendant is not under a statutory duty to prosecute the 1st Defendant having investigated him (1st Defendant), and found him culpable of the offences of Conspiracy, Bribery, Abuse of office and money laundering, a charge that was drawn up by the EFCC (3rd Defendant herein), but never activated nor filed till date, for inexplicable reasons.
The plaintiff is however praying the court for a declaration that by the combined effect of the provisions of Rules 1, 5 (1) & (11), Rules 3, F, L, of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, Fifth Schedule Part 1, Paragraph 7 (B) Paragraph 9, 13, Part 11 & Paragraph 12 of the Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as altered, Sections 5, 10 (1), 13, 17 & 22 (3) of The Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, 1st Defendant IS NOT a fit and proper person to sit in judgment and preside over the affairs of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and dispense justice to all Nigerians who appear before it, irrespective of gender, tribe, religion, or political persuasion, without fear or favour, malice or ill will, having run foul of the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, and other extant provisions.
It also wants a declaration that by the combined effect of the construction of Rules 1, 5 (1) & (11), Rules 3, F, L, of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, Fifth Schedule Part 1, Paragraph 7 (B) Paragraph 9, 13, Part 11 & Paragraph 12 of the Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as altered, the 1st Defendant IS NOT A fit and proper person and is estopped from sitting or further sitting in judgment and presiding over the affairs of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and dispense justice to all Nigerians who appear before it, irrespective of gender, tribe, religion, political persuasion, without fear or favour, malice or ill will, who appear before it, having run foul of the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, by secret meeting with an accused person standing trial before him exparte, without the presence of the Prosecution, or Court Officials.
No date has been fixed for the case.
