- Forfeits property to FG
Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, has been found guilty of false declaration of assets by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT.
Delivering judgment convicting Orubebe of the offence, CCT chairman, Justice Danladi Umar, however, gave the former minister a light sentence.
The judge explained that the documents and evidences presented by the prosecution proved that Orubebe was guilty.
Umar averred that while the minister claimed that the property in contention 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.
“I hereby seize, on behalf of the federal government, the property known as plot 2057,” he ruled, adding, “The prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, and all evidence tendered are admitted.”
The CCT held that Orubebe committed an offence for his failure to declare a piece of property in Abuja, which he claimed he had sold, among his assets, claiming that the former minister committed the offence while he was a public officer.
Orubebe had pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the two count charges of false declaration of assets and another two count charges of bribery when he was arraigned before the CCT.
Orubebe was charged by the Code of Conduct Bureau for alleged failure to declare landed property in Kyamu and Asokoro district, both in Abuja, on assumption of office as minister on September 26, 2007.
He was also accused of allegedly accepting bribes totaling N70 million for the award of contracts in favour of his company in the other counts.
Orubebe was made notoriously popular for his outburst at the national collation centre of the 2015 presidential election, in an attempt to halt the declaration of the results of the election.
