The trial of a Chief Superintendent of Customs, Dr. Ibrahim Abdul in the alleged refusal to declare his assets as required by law has been fixed for June 28 by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, in Abuja.
The chairman of the tribunal, Danladi Umar, fixed the trial day in Abuja today following the absence of the customs chief to appear before the tribunal.
The Federal Government had dragged Mr Abdul before CCT for prosecution on the ground that he contravened the code of conduct for public officers by his refusal to declare his assets.
Although the trial was slated for today, it could however not go ahead because the defendant was absent in court.
His counsel, Sadat Liman pleaded with the tribunal chairman for forgiveness over his client’s failure to appear before the tribunal for trial as required by law.
He added that there was a mix-up in the date for the trial which eventually confused the customs chief.
Although the prosecution counsel, Kolawole Omotolani, insisted that the customs chief was aware of the hearing date and had no cause to be absent at the tribunal, Mr Umar however considered the request of the defence counsel and put the trial forward till June 28, to enable the defendant appeared for trial.
In a related development, two other civil servants, Mohammed Adamu and Doho Muhammad who were also billed for trial on charges of non-declaration of assets were also absent at the tribunal on account of the wrong service of the charges on them.
Mr Umar therefore fixed September 18 for the two civil servants to appear before him for their trial.
The tribunal will resume the trial of the customs chief on June 28, 2018.
