The planned resumption of the trial of former Plateau State governor, Joshua Dariye was stalled Tuesday owing to the ex-governor’s failure to attend court.

       The planned resumption of the trial of former Plateau State governor, Joshua Dariye was stalled Tuesday owing to the ex-governor’s failure to attend court.

       Dariye was in 2007 arraigned before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on a 23-count charge of corruption and money laundering brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), after it obtained the leave of the court to prefer charges against him.

       He pleaded not guilty to the charge, following which the trial judge, Justice Adebukola Banjoko fixed November 13, 2007 for the commencement of trial.Before November 13, Dariye filed an application, challenging the competence of the charge and the jurisdiction of the court. He argued that he ought to be tried at High Court of Plateau State and not FCT.
On December 13, 2007, the trial judge heard and dismissed Dariye’s application for lacking in merit, a decision he appealed to the Court of Appeal, Abuja and later, to the Supreme Court.

       The Supreme Court, on February 27 dismissed his appeal, describing it as a ploy to delay his trial.When the case was called Tuesday, his lawyer, G. S Pwul (SAN) told the court that his client was indisposed and that he had written the court to that effect. Pwul said Dariye has issue with one of his legs and was due for medical attention.Prosecution lawyer, Leke Atolagbe objected to the reason given for why Dariye was absent in court.

       He faulted the defence’s decision to put the prosecution in the dark about Dariye’s health condition. Atolagbe, who said he was only aware of the defence’s letter in court, drew the court’s attention to the remark by the Supreme Court while dismissing Dariye’s appeal. The apex court had described Dariye’s appeal as a ploy to delay his trail and ordered him to submit himself for trial.

       Justice Banjoko said she will not issue any bench warrant against Dariye because the prosecution had not made such request in the past even when Dairye had not attended court diligently in the past.

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Dariye’s absence stalls planned resumption of trial