The trial of a former governor of Plateau State, Senator Joshua Dariye, at a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court will re-commence tomorrow after it was stalled for almost a decade. Dariye's trial started in 2007 following a petition received by the then Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) in May 2004.
The former governor was accused of various offences bordering on money laundering, abuse of office and corruption. The petition was referred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation and prosecution. At the conclusion of the investigation, the EFCC filed an application before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory for leave to prefer a charge against Dariye.
Upon his arraignment in July 2012, Dariye pleaded not guilty to all the 23 counts of the charge preferred against him and since then he had made several efforts to scuttle his trial.
When the trial was to open on November 13, 2007, he urged the court to quash the charge against him for the various reasons stated in the application. The trial court heard the application and in its ruling, dismissed same. Dariye then proceeded to the Court of Appeal which dismissed the appeal and affirmed the decision of the trial court.
Still dissatisfied, he went to the Supreme Court. Daily Trust recalls that on Friday February 27, 2015, the Supreme Court in a unanimous decision ordered that the former governor should immediately go back and stand trial over allegations. With the signing into law of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, Dariye's trial is expected to be a day to day trial.
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