News
Supreme Court decides Dariye’s fate Friday
Appeal filed by the jailed former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye is to be decided today by the Supreme Court.
Dariye who is serving a 10 year jail term at Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja has through his lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN) filed an appeal to set his conviction aside.
A five-man panel of the court, led by Justice Mary Odili, had, after hearing the appeal on December 17, 2020, fixed judgment for March 12, 2021.
Dariye is, by his appeal, praying the Supreme Court to upturn 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 N1.162billion while he was the Governor.
A three-man panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Stephen Adah, in its decision, upheld an earlier judgement by Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), delivered on June 12, 2018.
The trial court convicted Dariye on 15 counts relating to the offences of criminal breach of trust and criminal misappropriation, contained in the 23-count charge on which he was tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In upholding Dariye’s conviction, the Court of Appeal noted that the prosecution, led by Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) effectively proved its allegation of criminal breach of trust and criminal misappropriation against the ex-governor.
The Appeal Court however faulted the trial court for convicting Dariye on counts 12 and 23, which it said the prosecution did not prove.
It also faulted the trial court for imposing the maximum sentences on both offences of criminal breach of trust and criminal misappropriation.
The Appeal Court proceeded to reduce the 14 years sentence for the offence of criminal breach of trust to 10 years, and reduced the two years sentence for criminal misappropriation to one year.
Arguing the appeal before the Supreme Court on December 17 last year, Dariye’s lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN), a former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), asked the court to reverse his client’s conviction or reduce the 10-year jail term handed him by the Court of Appeal.
Agabi, after adopting his written argument, prayed the court to allow his client’s appeal and set aside Dariye’s conviction and sentence.
He argued that Dariye’s conviction was speculative and urged the court to show mercy on him.
Agabi added: “Here is a man sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. 10 years is more than a lifetime for some people. You should show him mercy.”
He however added that, should the court be minded to disallow the appeal and affirm the decision of the Court of Appeal, it should reduce the sentence substantially.
Lawyer to the respondent, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) countered and urged the court to dismiss the appeal and uphold the concurrent findings of the two lower courts.
Jacobs contended that a public servant was not better than the common man in the eyes of the law.
He added: “As for the sentence passed, it has been reduced to 10 years. That he (the appellant) is a public servant does not mean he should go free.”
Another explosion has rocked the Soku oil
facility in Akuku Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Sunday’s fire is the second in a week after an explosion hit the Trans Niger Pipeline in Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, thus raising concerns of sabotage.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), a prominent grassroots NGO active across the Niger Delta, confirmed the incident on Sunday, March 23.
In a statement signed by Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, its executive director, YEAC disclosed that its youth volunteers reported an early morning explosion accompanied by fireballs at the facility, which is operated by Nigeria LNG (NLNG) Limited.
“An explosion accompanied by fireballs was heard and seen in the sky from the facility area, which is difficult to reach. The fire is still ongoing as of the time of this report,” Fyneface stated.
The cause of fire at the gas station in Toru LGA was not yet clear at the time of the press, but speculations about equipment failure to sabotage or even deliberate attack was rife.
It marks the third explosion at oil facilities in Rivers State within a week, intensifying concerns over the state’s oil infrastructure.
The first explosion occurred in Ogoni, while the second took place in Oga/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area. The latter incident was referenced by President Bola Tinubu in his nationwide broadcast on March 18, during which he declared a six-month state of emergency in Rivers State.
In response to the escalating security challenges, President Tinubu took decisive action by suspending the Rivers State House of Assembly, Deputy Governor, and Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The move followed allegations that the governor failed to protect the state’s critical oil infrastructure.
Tensions have further heightened following a viral video in which some youths issued warnings against the governor’s impeachment.
The recent string of explosions has raised alarm among stakeholders in the Niger Delta, a region already grappling with environmental degradation and security issues tied to oil production. With fires still raging at the Soku facility, calls for an urgent investigation and enhanced security measures around oil infrastructure have grown louder.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has expressed his heartfelt condolences to the Governor of Katsina State, Malam Dikko Umar Radda, over the passing of his mother, Hajiya Safarau Umar Baribari.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, Dr. Ganduje described Hajiya Safarau’s death as a profound loss that has left a deep void in the hearts of her family, friends, and the people of Katsina State.
Extending his sympathies, the APC National Chairman condoled with Governor Radda, the bereaved family, and the entire people of Katsina State during this difficult time.
He acknowledged the remarkable contributions of the late Hajiya Safarau and prayed for Almighty Allah (SWT) to grant her eternal rest in Jannatul Firdaus while strengthening the family to bear this irreplaceable loss.
Dr. Ganduje urged Governor Radda and others affected to find comfort in the cherished memories and enduring legacy of the deceased.
Reaffirming the APC’s support, the former Kano State governor assured the people of Katsina State of the party’s solidarity in their time of grief and prayed that Allah (SWT) grant the departed soul Al-Jannah Firdaus. Ameen.
The wife of Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), Hajia Aishat has offered cash and food items worth millions of naira to widows and vulnerable women across Dekina local government Councils, promises to take similar gesture across the nine local government in Kogi East.
The exercise which was tagged: “Widows Empowerment”, saw the Senator’s wife distributing cash and food items to cushion the effect of Ramadan.
Items distributed are bags of rice bags of salt, cartons of seasoning, maggi etc, which were evenly distributed to widows and vulnerable women across party lines.
A beneficiary who spoke with our correspondent at Odu in Dekina Local Government Council, Hon Fitumi thanked Hajia for her continuous effort in coming through for widows and vulnerable regularly.
She acknowledged similar gesture by Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), a fortnight ago at Ankpa when youths in their numbers from three Local Government Areas were trained in Agriculture and empowered, stressing that people are now living testimony to the effort of the lawmaker.
“”We are aware of several intervention projects, empowerment and developmental projects of Senator Echocho and we are not surprised seeing Hajia toeing the similar path.
“The distribution of food items and cash today is not only a rekindling of hope to the beneficiaries, but an encouragement that despite their condition, they were not forgotten.
Hajia Labran, and other APC Women leaders who spoke on behalf of women, applauded Hajia Aisha Echocho and pray Allah to strengthen her to carry on, urged others to emulate her sustainable initiatives.
The women advised other political office holders to emulate what is good and just, which they believed would strengthen the party.
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