Court Finds Ex-Plateau Governor, Dariye Guilty Of Corruption

Former governor, Joshua Dariye sitting on the dock

The FCT High Court sitting in Gudu, Abuja has found the former Plateau State Governor, Joshua Dariye guilty of corruption.

Mr. Dariye was on Tuesday found guilty on a 6 count charge on the allegation of unlawful transferring of funds to the sum of N1.126bn ecological needs of the state to the Peoples Democratic Party, in the southwest.

The ruling judge, Justice Adebukola Banjoko also found the former governor guilty in 1, 2 and 7 count charge of other related offences of dishonesty.

Mr. Dariye was found guilty on count 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,10 while not guilty on county 14, 16, 18.

On count 17,21,23, Mr. Dariye was found guilty as charges for breach of trust and on count 3, 9,11,22 for criminal misappropriation of funds he was guilty as charged.

Channel Tv reports that, Mr. Dariye whose case is over 10 years is standing trial on a 23 count charge for money laundering allegedly diverting the State’s 1.126 billion Naira ecological funds.

Mr. Dariye was arraigned by the EFCC on July 13, 2007, bordering on money laundering and other corruption charges alleged to have belonged to the Plateau State Government.

According to the EFCC, the former governor diverted the funds into the account of Ebenezer Ratnen Venture, which is alleged to be one of the companies through which he allegedly siphoned the public funds.

Mr. Dariye served the state from 1999- 2007.