* Says trial should be under a new CCT
Chairman
The Court of Appeal in Abuja last Friday struck out the false
assets declaration charges brought against a former Comptroller of
the Nigerian Customs Services (NCS), Rasheed Taiwo Owolabi at the
Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
The court in a judgment delivered on an appeal filed by Owolabi,
challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to entertain the
allegations against him also barred the Chairman of the Code of
Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Yakubu Umar, from participating in
the further trial of Owolabi.
According to the appellate court, the charge against the
ex-customs boss can only be revived when the tribunal has been
re-constituted.
Owolabi was arraigned before the tribunal on allegations of
false asset declaration but turned around to accuse chairman of the
tribunal of demanding N10million bribe to pervert justice.
Delivering judgment, Justice Tinuade Akomolafe-Wilson, held that
there was no way the ex-customs chief can get fair judgment at the
tribunal under the chairmanship of Umar, having written a petition
against him to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
accusing him of demanding for bribe.
The Appeal Court held that Umar having been thoroughly
investigated by EFCC and partly indicted in the findings, would
naturally create a real likelihood of bias against his accuser in
the minds of right thinking people.
Justice Akomolafe-Wilson held that the fear of denial of fair
hearing raised by Owolabi was justifiable while the issue of fair
treatment was fundamental that it cannot be waived aside.
The court noted that although the EFCC did not arraign Umar on
the strength of Owolabi’s petition, it cannot be doubted that the
petition has caused some humiliation against the CCT chairman,
hence the likelihood of bias against the defendant.
“The fact that the chairman was absolved from prosecution over
the allegation of bribery made against him by the appellant does
not justify the refusal of the tribunal to recuse Umar from the
trial of the appellant.
“No matter how strong the character of Judex might be, he should
not sit as a judge over the case of an accuser.
“It is even noteworthy that the chairman was not completely
absolved of blame in the petition filed against him to the EFCC.
Though, the EFCC after investigation could not get sufficient fact
to prosecute the chairman, yet he was vilified for a most unethical
and highly suspicious conduct on his part.
“Let me state here that having regards to the investigating
report of EFCC, the bias cannot by any stretch of imagination said
to have been intestinally instigated by the appellant as a play to
escape prosecution as being contested by counsel to the
respondent.
“It is settled that justice must not only be done, it must
manifest and be seen to have been done. A court must never place
itself in a situation where the confidence reposed in it by the
public to do justice to all parties before it in all circumstances
is eroded.
“The stream of justice must be kept clean and clear without any
suspicion of pollution.
“Justice cannot be said to be carried out in a case where the
chairman of a tribunal who has been accused of graft from the
appellant over a charge in which the chairman is presiding, still
goes ahead to adjudicate over the case involving his accuser.
“I hereby set aside the decision of the CCT delivered on October
20, 2016 and strike out the charge against the appellant pending
when the tribunal is reconstituted with another chairman,” the
court held
* Says trial should be under a new CCT
Chairman
The Court of Appeal in Abuja last Friday struck out the false
assets declaration charges brought against a former Comptroller of
the Nigerian Customs Services (NCS), Rasheed Taiwo Owolabi at the
Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
The court in a judgment delivered on an appeal filed by Owolabi,
challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to entertain the
allegations against him also barred the Chairman of the Code of
Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Yakubu Umar, from participating in
the further trial of Owolabi.
According to the appellate court, the charge against the
ex-customs boss can only be revived when the tribunal has been
re-constituted.
Owolabi was arraigned before the tribunal on allegations of
false asset declaration but turned around to accuse chairman of the
tribunal of demanding N10million bribe to pervert justice.
Delivering judgment, Justice Tinuade Akomolafe-Wilson, held that
there was no way the ex-customs chief can get fair judgment at the
tribunal under the chairmanship of Umar, having written a petition
against him to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
accusing him of demanding for bribe.
The Appeal Court held that Umar having been thoroughly
investigated by EFCC and partly indicted in the findings, would
naturally create a real likelihood of bias against his accuser in
the minds of right thinking people.
Justice Akomolafe-Wilson held that the fear of denial of fair
hearing raised by Owolabi was justifiable while the issue of fair
treatment was fundamental that it cannot be waived aside.
The court noted that although the EFCC did not arraign Umar on
the strength of Owolabi’s petition, it cannot be doubted that the
petition has caused some humiliation against the CCT chairman,
hence the likelihood of bias against the defendant.
“The fact that the chairman was absolved from prosecution over
the allegation of bribery made against him by the appellant does
not justify the refusal of the tribunal to recuse Umar from the
trial of the appellant.
“No matter how strong the character of Judex might be, he should
not sit as a judge over the case of an accuser.
“It is even noteworthy that the chairman was not completely
absolved of blame in the petition filed against him to the EFCC.
Though, the EFCC after investigation could not get sufficient fact
to prosecute the chairman, yet he was vilified for a most unethical
and highly suspicious conduct on his part.
“Let me state here that having regards to the investigating
report of EFCC, the bias cannot by any stretch of imagination said
to have been intestinally instigated by the appellant as a play to
escape prosecution as being contested by counsel to the
respondent.
“It is settled that justice must not only be done, it must
manifest and be seen to have been done. A court must never place
itself in a situation where the confidence reposed in it by the
public to do justice to all parties before it in all circumstances
is eroded.
“The stream of justice must be kept clean and clear without any
suspicion of pollution.
“Justice cannot be said to be carried out in a case where the
chairman of a tribunal who has been accused of graft from the
appellant over a charge in which the chairman is presiding, still
goes ahead to adjudicate over the case involving his accuser.
“I hereby set aside the decision of the CCT delivered on October
20, 2016 and strike out the charge against the appellant pending
when the tribunal is reconstituted with another chairman,” the
court held