Gen. Useni, Ex-Abuja Minister, Finally Facing Trial For Graft

Thirteen years after he was first docked before the Code of Conduct
Tribunal on charges of abuse of office and non-declaration of assets,
the trial of former Nigerian Federal Capital Territory Minister, Gen
Jeremiah Useni (Rtd), resumedTuesday before the Code of Conduct
tribunal.
Useni is alleged to have used his office as the Minister of the
Federal Capital Territory to acquire mind-boggling landed properties
in choice locations of the Abuja metropolis.
The former military chief held the position during the regime oflate
maximum dictator, General Sani Abacha, under whose regime Nigeria's
commonwealth was often privatized and looted with reckless abandon.
Useni was also alleged to have failed to declare his assets on
assumption of office as well as on leaving office as the FCT minister.
The retired General however, did not appear in person as statutorily
required in criminal proceedings, and has never appeared before the
court at any time during the 13 years the matter has lingered before
the court. The Chairman of the Tribunal, Mr. Danladi Umar, who led two
other members of the panel, could not hide his shock over the
discovery that the former minister has been treating the Tribunal with
disdain which accounted for his refusal to grace the court with his
appearance.
"The accused person has never appeared in person in this matteras
required by the law. It has been a tale of one excuse or the other
from the accused person," the chairman observed.
Explaining the General's absence from the court, his lawyer, Mr.
Victor Odjenu, said his client was on a "medical emergency"as at
Monday night when he informed him of today's sitting. He presented a
medical report to the court, showing the health challenges of the
former Minister. He could not however tell the court the specific
hospital where former minister was recuperating, and the Tribunal
Chairman thereafter ordered that the General must appear before it at
the next adjournment as the allegations preferred against him are
criminal in nature.
Mr. Odjenu further told the Tribunal that his presence was withregards
to an application filed on behalf of the former minister and dated 15
May, 2013 as well as for the preliminary objection served on him by
the prosecution counsel, Mr. Simon Egede.
In the application, Gen. Useni is asking the Tribunal to make an order
directing the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF),to hand over
some property titles confiscated from him, to the custody of the
tribunal pending the determination of the substantive suit. President
Olusegun Obasanjo had during his tenure constituted a probe panel
which investigated some persons, including Useni, and title documents
to some properties suspected to have been fraudulently acquired by the
former minister were confiscated.
"It is this tribunal that can make an order seizing the title
documents of the confiscated properties and forfeiture of such
property. We therefore urge the court to make an order that the title
documents of the property be put in custody of the tribunal," Mr.
Odjenuurged the tribunal.
In a preliminary objection to the application, Mr.Egede challenged the
jurisdiction of the tribunal to adjudicate on the issue of the
confiscated title documents. After listening to their submissions, the
Chairman of the Tribunal adjourned the matter to July 16 for ruling on
the preliminary objection.