Diverted N1.2billion Ecological Funds: 9 Things You Should Know About Dariye’s Trial

The Buhari led government had promised that fighting corruption was part of its core obligations and with the spate of arrests by the different anti-graft agencies, no one can doubt its commitment to this. Senator Joshua Dariye, former governor of Plateau State is one of those answering charges of corruption brought against them. Dariye’s trial started since 2007 following a petition received by the then Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) in May, 2004 and resumed today after it was stalled for such a long time. If you have no idea why Dariye is in court, INFORMATION NIGERIA brings you everything you must know about the man Dariye and the crime he is being alleged to have committed…

– During his time as governor, he was arrested in London, England on 20 January 2004, with large sums of money.

– Based on Nigeria’s constitution, serving governors have immunity from criminal prosecution therefore the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had to wait till 2007 when he was out of office to charge him to court for money laundering.

– In early October 2006, eight of the twenty-four state assembly members issued an impeachment notice against Dariye and his defence was that the notice was invalid as the eight did not form a quorum of the assembly.

– At the thick of moves to impeach him as governor, crowd of Dariye’s supporters tried to prevent the assembly members from entering the state assembly building. To disperse the crowd, riot police fired into the crowd, killing two protesters.

– With unsolved criminal charges hanging on his neck, Dariye was elected Senator for Plateau Central on the Labour Party platform in April 2011.

– The EFCC on July 13, 2007, arraigned Mr. Dariye on a 23-count charge of money laundering and other corruption charges involving billions of Naira belonging to the Plateau State Government.

– The EFCC accused the former governor of diverting about N1.2 billion of the state’s ecological funds into the account of Ebenezer Ratnen Venture, which is one the companies through which he allegedly siphoned public funds.

– The case resumed today before Justice Banjoko sitting at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Gudu, in Abuja. The case resumed today after it was stalled for almost a decade.

– The star witness in the case, Detective Musa painted a vivid picture of how Dariye instructed the All States Trust Bank to lodge the N1.2 billion ecological fund for Plateau State into accounts that does not belong to the Plateau State government.

We will bring you more details as the case unfolds…

2 COMMENTS

  1. Nine years to start trial?
    Nigeria justice system is honestly a laughing stock.
    Honestly, we need strong institutions for things to be done properly.
    9 years is a very long time and I believe many evidence would by now be nowhere and some witnesses either gone or died.
    Anyway let’s hope for the best and an end to corruption in Nigeria.