The names of Customs Comptroller Rasheed Owolabi Taiwo (rtd) and that of a serving Assistant Controller of Customs; who was identified as Dauda Ashigye were among those of eight serving and retired public servants who the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has penciled down for trial for various offences.
Shipping Position Daily confirmed last week that retired Comptroller Rasheed Taiwo was dragged before the conduct bureau based on allegations that he did not declare his assets and for allegedly having ‘stupendous wealth’.
The names of Customs Comptroller Rasheed Owolabi Taiwo (rtd) and that of a serving Assistant Controller of Customs; who was identified as Dauda Ashigye were among those of eight serving and retired public servants who the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has penciled down for trial for various offences.
Shipping Position Daily confirmed last week that retired Comptroller Rasheed Taiwo was dragged before the conduct bureau based on allegations that he did not declare his assets and for allegedly having ‘stupendous wealth’.
The serving assistant controller is to be arraigned for allegedly “ engaging in running a private company, false declaration and owning property not fairly attributable to his income as a public officer contrary to Section 6(b) and 15(2) and 15(3), both of the CCB and CCT Act.”
A statement signed by Head, Public Relations Unit of the Bureau, Iyabo Akinwale, in Abuja last week and made available ot our correspondent confirmed that “The CCB is presently awaiting hearing dates from the Code of Conduct Tribunal for the arraignment of these accused persons,” adding that, “meanwhile, the CCT will be holding its next court sessions between July 18 to 29, 2012, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal Court in Abuja.”
Mr Rasheed Taiwo’s travails started in 2010 when one Emmanuel Nwachukwu asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to compel the Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate and prosecute him for allegedly failing to declare his assets after retiring from the Nigeria Customs Service.
In an application for judicial review filed through his counsel, Amobi Nzelu, Mr. Nwachukwu; a self –acclaimed social crusader had asked the court to compel the Code of Conduct Bureau, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Inspector General of Police, and the Nigeria Customs Service Board to investigate Mr Taiwo for several offences including non-declaration of assets, illegal acquisition of wealth, and abuse of office.
Mr. Nwachukwu had also asked the Nigeria Customs Services Board to investigate the certificate, purportedly acquired from the University of Paris, which Mr.Taiwo presented during his employment, as well as the retired officer’s National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate.
He had asked the board to withhold all of Mr. Taiwo’s entitlements until the determination of the case.
Mr. Nwachukwu had also accused the ex- Customs Controller of acquiring stupendous wealth while he was serving in the customs. He listed some of the properties allegedly owned by Mr. Owolabi and reminded the court that the EFCC has the right, under the Act establishing it, to investigate those assets.
Insider sources told Shipping Position Daily, Mr Taiwo’s travails actually started shortly after he was retired from the service of the Customs in 2009. He joined the service in 1980.
He was to later sue the customs board and the present Comptroller-General, Abdullahi Inde Dikko, challenging his January 2010 retirement.
In March, 2010, Mr. Taiwo approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to seek reinstatement to his office, demanding N500 million in damages for what he called his “unlawful and illegal retirement.”
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