Orubebe Drags FG to Appeal Court for ‘Gross Miscarriage of Justice’

Orubebe Drags FG to Appeal Court for ‘Gross Miscarriage of Justice’

Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party, Elder Godsday Orubebe, has appealed his conviction by the Code of Conduct Tribunal for failing to declare his Plot 2057,  Asokoro District, to the Code of Conduct Bureau as demanded by the constitution.

CCT chair, Justice Danladi Umar on October 4, 2016, found Orubebe guilty of false declaration of assets and ordered that the said property be forfeited to the Federal Government.

But Orubebe’s lawyer, Selekeowei Larry (SAN), on Wednesday filed a notice of appeal before the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal seeking an order setting aside the October 4, 2016 judgement of the CCT, Punch writes.

He argued, among other things, that the CCT convicted him “without any proof of the offence, thereby occasioning gross miscarriage of justice.”

The former Minister also posited that the tribunal misdirected itself in reaching its decision that was not supported by evidence led by the prosecution, arguing further that the Justice Umar-led panel erred in law when it held that the prosecution proved its case beyond doubt.

According to him, he neither acquired the Plot 2057 corruptly nor even purchased it, as it was a gift to him by the Federal Government, one he’d already sold to a company called Divention Properties Limited, with the company’s Managing Director, Akinwumi Ajibola, testifying to that effect during trial.

“Not only were the deed of assignment, deed of sale and Power of Attorney tendered and admitted in evidence, defence witnesses one and two (Ajibola and Orubebe) testified to the transaction without any contradiction.

“There is no time limit for regularisation of title at the Land Registry,” he said, faulting the CCT for holding that he remained the owner of the plot since Divention did not effect change of ownership.