CCT trial: Orubebe’s knows fate June 30

June 2, 2016

The Code of Conduct Tribunal on Thursday fixed June 30 to deliver judgment in the trial of a former Minister of Niger Delta, Godsday Orubebe, one count of false asset declaration.

But before the date for judgment was fixed on Thursday, Orubebe testified at the second defence witness, denying the charge that he failed to declare the property at Plot 2057, Asokoro District, Abuja, in his asset declaration forms submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau as a minister between 2007 and 2011.

Led in evidence by his lawyer, Mr. Selekowei Larry (SAN), the former minister said the plot of land was allocated to him by the Federal Government as a minister, through the then Minister of the Federal Capital Territory in 2011.

But he said he sold the plot of land at N10m, which he said he used to pay his rent for two years between 2009 and 2011.

He explained that he did not declare it as his asset when he assumed office in 2007 because it had not been allocated to him then.

He also said he did not declare the plot of land as his asset in 2011 because he had sold it to his landlord before he made the last asset declaration while leaving office.

He said he never visited the plot of land because he sold it on the same date it was allocated to him to offset N10m backlog rent of two years.

He expressed regret that he was subjected to trial over an “empty plot of land in a bush,” which he said was allocated to him by the government in which he served.

The Danladi Umar-led tribunal fixed June 30 for judgment after Orubebe closed his defence with one witness in addition to his own testimony on Thursday.

Shortly after Orubebe completed his testimony as the second defence witness, parties to the suit – defence and prosecution – made final oral submissions, following which the case was adjourned for judgment.

The prosecution led by the Director of Federal Public Prosecutions, Mr. Mohammed Diri, had closed its case on May 24 with only one witness.

The Federal Government had on March 8, re-arraigned Orubebe on an amended charge of failure to declare his property at Plot 2057, Asokoro District, Abuja, in his asset declaration forms submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau as a minister between 2007 and 2011.

The offence is said to be contrary to section 15 of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap 15 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under section 23(2) of the same Act.

The prosecution called an official of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Mr. Samuel Madojemu, as its only witness to prove its case.

Madojemu had in his testimony given details of how the CCB discovered the property allegedly owned by the ex-minister in Abuja but which the former minister was said to have failed to disclose as his in his asset declaration forms.

He said Orubebe submitted five asset declaration forms to the CCB between 2007 and 2011, copies of the forms were admitted by the CCT as exhibits.

He added that the former minister however failed to declare the plot of land as of the time of leaving office on May 29, 2011.

The witness said Orubebe ignored the CCB’s invitation to him to make statements during the investigation of the case.

The prosecution also tendered some documents, including the title documents of the property and Orubebe’s asset declaration forms submitted to the CCB.

But Orubebe said in hi testimony on Thursday, “As at 26 September 2007 when I first declared my assets, I never had a property named plot 2057 Asokoro District, Abuja. So, I could not have declared it as I was coming in as a minister.

“On 29 of June 2011, when I was temporarily disengaged from the Federal Executive Council, because the FEC was dissolved, before I was reappointed, I never also had a property known as Plot 2057 Asokoro District, Abuja. So, I could not have declared a property that was not mine.