The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Gudu, Abuja, on Tuesday sentenced a former Governor of Plateau State and serving senator representing Plateau West, Senator Joshua Dariye, to 16 years’ imprisonment on charges of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of over N1.16bn belonging to the state.
Justice Adebukola Banjoko found him guilty of diverting N1.162 billion state ecological funds while he was governor between 1999 and 2007, and 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.
Let's recall that He was first arraigned on a 23-count charge for the offense in 2007.
The presiding judge sentenced him to 2 years in prison for criminal breach of trust and 14 years for criminal misappropriation of funds.
The sentences are to run concurrently. The court gave no option of fine.
However, PDP, in its reaction described Dariye’s conviction as a landmark judgment and victory against corruption.
The Public Relations Officer of the state arm of the party, Hon. John Akans said the time was ripe for the party to reclaim its stolen mandate from APC.
Akans told Colossus Gists that the party decided not to drag the former governor to court when he defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC) with the mandate of PDP because it was established that he will not escape jail.
He said,
“This is the hour we in the PDP have all been waiting for, the law has taken its course, it was a landmark judgment that has created an avenue for PDP to reclaim its stolen mandate.
“We gave Dariye overwhelming vote during the 2015 Senatorial elections in the state and he won the election under the platform of PDP but he disappointed the party by jumping to the ruling APC in search of refuge following his corrupt cases in court. No matter how long the case will take there must be a judgment day and today is the Day of Judgment.”
Dariye defected from PDP to APC in September 2016.
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