Information at ViewPointNigeria’s disposal indicates that a former governor of Plateau State, Sen. Joshua Dariye, who is facing a 23-count charge at a Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court, Gudu, has accused the trial judge, Adebukola Banjoko, of “undisguised bias”.

Mr. Dariye is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly diverting about N1.162 billion from the state’s Ecological Fund, to private companies and individuals.

The former governor’s trial resumed on January 25, 2016 after the Supreme Court on February 27, 2015, dismissed his appeal to quash the charges and ordered his “expeditious” trial.

The prosecution had on June 6, 2016 closed its case against him, after presenting 10 witnesses, including Peter Clark, a retired detective constable with the UK Metropolitan Police, who investigated money laundering charges against him in the UK.

Mr. Clark had on May 9, 2016 while being led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, told the court that Mr. Dariye remained a fugitive having jumped bail in the UK, and that the fraud charges against him were still pending there. Several documents detailing the diversion of the state’s funds to Barclays Bank in the UK were among exhibits presented in court.

Mr. Dariye’s defence team, led by G.S. Pwul, SAN, opened its defence on June 17, 2016 with Adonye Roberts, a former staff of the defunct All States Trust Bank, admitting under cross-examination, that he Dariye illegally operated an account with the bank in the name of “Ebenezer Retnan Ventures” – a company to which part of the Ecological Funds were diverted to. More details later.

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Dariye accuses judge of being bias in his court case