While Saraki Readies To Appear Before CCT, Chairman’s PA Is Also Facing Trial Over Bribery, Abuse Of Office

Although Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar ordered the arrest of Senate President Bukola Saraki over charges of corruption and false declaration of assets, reports say he might have been indicted in a case before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Mr. Ali Abdullai Gambo, the Personal Assistant of Umar, was reported to have been arraigned before an FCT High Court in July by the EFCC on charges of conspiracy, bribery and abuse of office.

Gambo’s arrest and arraignment in July was sequel to a petition by a retired Comptroller of Customs, Rasheed Taiwo, who was being prosecuted at the tribunal for allegedly failing to declare his assets as statutorily required while in office.

Taiwo had alleged that Umar demanded a N10 million bribe from him, of which he had made a part payment of N1.8m into the account of Gambo, his PA.

Reports in some quarters claimed that EFCC alleged that Gambo, sometime in August, 2013 in Abuja, made a confessional statement to investigators confirming that the petitioner actually paid the money into his account in one of the new generation banks on December, 12, 2012. Gambo was reported to have claimed that although the money was paid into his account, it was given to him by the petitioner to help him offset his (Gambo’s) father’s medical bills.

Gambo is now facing trial, but there was no evidence that he collected the money on behalf of Justice Umar nor was the judge being tried, even though he was interviewed by the EFCC and granted administrative bail.

Gambo is currently on bail. The case against him is yet to be decided.