Ex-Plateau Governor Dariye Released From Prison

Ex-Plateau State  Governor Joshua Dariye has secured his release from the Nigerian Prisons.

The development is coming four months after he was granted a presidential pardon by President Mohammadu Buhari.

Dariye who was being persecuted by the EFCC for N1.16 billion fraud was on June 12, 2018, sentenced to 14 years in prison for criminal breach of trust and two years in addition for misappropriation of public funds, all to run concurrently.

Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the FCT Court found him guilty of 15 of the counts bordering on criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of public funds but discharged him on 8.

Dariye, was first arraigned on July 13, 2007, at the High Court after which he proceeded to the Appeal Court with an application to quash all charges.

Furthermore, the Apex Court ordered accelerated hearing of the fraud case against him, thus necessitating the continuation of trial on January 25, 2016, before Justice Banjoko.

In addition to his sentencing, Justice Banjoko also ordered that the N80 million recovered by the EFCC be returned to the Plateau State Government's coffers.