FCT: Supreme Court upholds ex-Plateau gov Dariye’s 10-year jail term

FORMER Governor Joshua Dariye has failed in his bid to overturn the Court of Appeal judgement  that led to his conviction as the Supreme Court, today, upheld a criminal breach of trust charged against him.

Dariye filed the suit praying the Supreme Court to overturn the November 16, 2018 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which convicted him and sentenced him to 10 years for diverting public funds estimated at N1.162 billion while he was the Governor of Plateau.

The apex court, however, freed Dariye on the charge that borders on misappropriation of fund, which carries a two-year jail term.

Dariye, a serving senator representing Plateau Central Senatorial District, was accused of embezzling N1.162 billion ecological funds belonging to his state.

He was charged to court by anti-graft agency, EFCC, in 2007.

The trial which stalled for over eight years following Dariye’s protracted attempt to prevent his prosecution continued after the Supreme Court ordered the senator to proceed with his case in 2015.