We didn’t drop corruption charges against ex-minister Orubebe – Code of Conduct Tribunal

– The Code of Conduct Tribunal has debunked rumours of corruption case withdrawal against Peter Orubebe, ex-minister of Niger Delta 

– The case had been adjourned till April 7, 2016

The Code of Conduct Tribunal has refuted media reports claiming that the federal government withdrew the corruption charges against the former minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Peter Orubebe.

It would be recalled that the former minister was arraigned on November 8, 2015 on charges of false assets declaration to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and acceptance a bribe of N70m.

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According to the spokesperson for the tribunal, Ibrahim Al-hassan, the case was ongoing and that latest charges were changed to the initial ones. Hearing in the case will resume on April 7.

The statement reads: “Our attention at the Code of Conduct Tribunal has been drawn to recent publications from some section of mass media, indicating that the Federal Government has withdrawn charges against former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Godsday Peter Orubebe.

The Tribunal is compelled to refute the said publications, particularly those contained in ThisDay Newspaper, Leadership and some online media, dated March 21st, 2016. The purported withdrawal of the case was quoted to be based on the case being fundamentally defective.

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Pursuant to the above, CCT advices that, to the best of our knowledge based on available records, as at the time of this report, the information is misleading, distortive and as such it should be ignored.

The case of Mr Godsday Peter Orubebe before CCT in Charge NO: CCT/ABJ/02/15 is ongoing. What transpired in court in the last session held on 8th March, 2016 was a substitution of the initial charge with a newly filed charge by the prosecution, of which leave was sought from, and granted by the Tribunal.

The case had been adjourned to 7th April, 2016. Thus, there is no withdrawal of the case by the prosecution.”

A week ago the federal government amended the four-count charge dated October 8, 2015 and substituted it with a one-count charge borders on fraudulent declaration of asset during his tenure as a minister.

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