Orubebe wants Appeal Court to set aside his conviction

A former Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, has asked the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgment of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) which ordered forfeiture of his property at Plot 2057 Asokoro District, Abuja.

The tribunal had, in a judgment delivered last month, found Orubebe guilty as charged and punished in accordance with Section 23 of Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) Act.

In the notice of appeal filed by his lawyer, Mr Selekeowei Larry, the former minister raised three grounds of appeal, arguing, among others, that the tribunal misdirected itself in reaching its decision that was not supported by evidence led by the prosecution.

The former minister argued further that the tribunal erred in law when it held that the prosecution proved its case and ordered the forfeiture of the property in issue, Plot 2057 Asokoro District, to the Federal Government, “without any proof of the offence, thereby occasioning gross miscarriage of justice.”

He said that Plot 2057 was not acquired corruptly nor even purchased by him, but was a gift to him by the Federal Government.

Orubebe said he led credible evidence to prove that he had sold the the property to a company called Divention Properties Limited and that the company’s Managing Director, Akinwumi Ajibola, testified to that effect during trial.