Assets declaration: CCT pronounces Orubebe guilty

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), on Tuesday, found a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, guilty of false declaration of asset.

The CCT chairman, Danladi Umar, who presided over a two man panel in a judgement that lasted for less than one hour  ordered the seizure and forfeiture of a landed property allegedly belonging to Orubebe‎.

With the judgement, the Federal Government is to take over the land from the former minister.

The Federal Government had dragged Orubebe before the tribunal on a one count charge of non declaration of landed property situated at Plot 2057, Asokoro district.

Orubebe had through his counsel, Larry told the tribunal that the land no longer belonged to him as he had transfered it to one Barrister Akinwumi Ajibola in lieu of his (Orubebe) two years house rent in Mabushi where he stayed as a minister.

Orubebe had further told th tribunal that all the documents as it concerns the land had been transfered to Ajibola, including the Power of Attorney.

However, Delivering judgement, chairman of the tribunal, Danladi Umar held that having analysed the submissions of both parties, it was observed that six years after the transfer had been made, the documents of the land are yet to be registered in Lands registry‎.

He further held that the prosecution had established his case beyond reasonable doubt adding that the defendant was under obligation to register the land in the land registry in Abuja.

According to him, “Failure to register the document at the land registry render the transfer null. In the circumstance, the defendant is still the owner of the said plot 2057, Asokoro District, and not Barrister Akinwumi Ajibola who testified as the Defense Witness 1.

“Based on the provision of Section 23 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, plot 2057, Asokoro District belonging to the defendant is hereby confiscated and forfeited to the Federal Government”

Justice Umar explained that the testimonies and document presented by the prosecution prove that the former minister is guilty as charged.

He further stated that while the minister claimed that the property was on rent from the federal government, the rejection of the claim by his former landlord to allow him exercise his right over the property rendered the power of attorney useless.

Yiu will recall that the former Minister had pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the one  count charge of false declaration of assets.

Orubebe’s name had been in the news after the presidential election of March 28, 2015.

On 31 March 2015, Orubebe, acting as a polling agent for the Peoples Democratic Party, tried to disrupt the proceedings of the 2015 presidential election collation.

Orubebe alleged that the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Attahiru Jega, had taken side with the opposition political party at the time, All Progressives Congress (APC).

He, however, subsequently apologised to Nigerians over his conduct by tendering an unreserved apology urging them not to follow in his footsteps and explaining that he regretted his action.