Supreme court revives Dariye’s corruption trial

The Supreme court has ordered Joshua Dariye, a serving senator and former governor of Plateau state, to submit himself for trial on corruption and money laundering charges.

Sylvester Ngwuta, who led the five-man bench, ruled that the former governor’s appeal was lacking in merit and ordered Dariye to return to the federal capital territory high court in Abuja, to face his trial.

Dariye had challenged the competence of the charges against him and the jurisdiction of the court, leading to a delay in the case.

In July 2007, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned him on 23 counts of money laundering and other corruption charge.

He was also accused of diverting about N1.2 billion from the state’s ecological funds.

Dariye pleaded not guilty to the charge and Adebukola Banjoko,the trial judge, adjourned the matter to November 13, 2007.

But Dariye argued that the matter ought to have been heard in Plateau state. Banjoko dismissed Dariye’s argument and the matter was heard at the appeal court before Friday’s ruling at the apex court.

The supreme court lamented the delay in the trial, describing it as a setback to the fight against corruption.