Former Plateau State governor, Joshua Dariye, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison over corruption charges. The senator representing Plateau West was captured weeping in court as he received his sentences.
According to report, Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the Federal Capital Territory High Court today found him guilty of diverting N1.162 billion state ecological funds while he was governor between 1999 and 2007. He was first arraigned on a 23-count charge for the offence in 2007.
Justice Adebukola Banjoko in a judgment which took her six and a half hours to read convicted the ex-governor on 15 out the 23 counts preferred against him.
The judge barely a fortnight ago, imposed 14 years’ jail term on ex-Governor of Taraba State, Jolly Nyame, on similar charges.
On Tuesday she sentenced Dariye to two years imprisonment on each of the five counts bordering on criminal misappropriation and 14 years’ jail term on each of the 11 counts of criminal breach of trust.
The judge, however, ruled that all the sentences would run concurrently, implying that the convict would have to spend 14 years in jail.
The punishments imposed on the ex-governor for the two categories of offences of criminal breach of trust and criminal misappropriation are the maximum as provided under sections 315 and 309 of the Penal Code Act, respectively.
Counsel to Dariye, Paul Eroko, pleaded for the court to temper justice with mercy as his client was misled by some persons.
“Appeals to your judgement do not succeed, we will fall on your mercy. The prisons are congested. They misled the governor, it is the bank, they said he didn’t have to present anything.” he said
Counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, said Dariye did not deserve a light sentence because he “didn’t show remorse” and that a strong sentence would serve as a deterrence to those holding public offices.
“He is not remorseful, his case should serve as a deterrence,” Jacobs said.
