•Dariye, Nyame released on health grounds, good behaviour
Seriki Adinoyi in Jos and Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
Four months after the Council of State granted him a pardon, former Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau has finally been released from the Kuje Prisons. He was released on health grounds and good behaviour while in jail.
Dariye, prosecuted by the EFCC for N1.16 billion fraud, was, on June 12, 2018, sentenced to 14 years in prison for criminal breach of trust and two years in addition for misappropriation of public funds, both to run concurrently.
Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the FCT Court, out of a 23-count amended charge, found the ex-governor guilty of 15 counts bordering on criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds but discharged him on eight.
Dariye was first arraigned at the high court on July 13, 2007, after which he proceeded to the Appeal Court with an application to quash all charges. His application was dismissed.
The Apex Court ordered an accelerated hearing of the fraud case against him, thus necessitating the continuation of trial on January 25, 2016, before Justice Banjoko.
In addition to his sentencing, Justice Banjoko also ordered that the N80 million recovered by the EFCC be forfeited to the state government’s coffers.
But in April this year, the Council of State, led by President Mohammadu Buhari, approved the pardon of 159 convicts, including Dariye and a former Governor of Taraba, Rev Jolly Nyame.
Since the pardon, they remained in prison custody until groups began to protest against their continued incarceration.
Meanwhile, a statement from Kuje prisons disclosed that the ex-governors were released because of their deteriorating health, age, and good behaviour while in the Kuje Custodial Centre.
The release followed the receipt of the letter of clemency from the presidential prerogative of mercy committee by the Controller General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa.
In a statement signed by the prison’s spokesman in Abuja, Mr Chukwuedo Humphrey, the pardon which President Muhammadu Buhari granted earlier this year was done based on recommendations from the presidential prerogative of mercy committee.
“The controller of Corrections, FCT command, Ahmed Musa Ahmed, acting upon the directives of the controller general, also released three other inmates who were granted a pardon from the Suleja custodial centre,” the statement noted. “The pardon, which was granted earlier this year by President Muhammadu Buhari, was done based on recommendations from the presidential prerogative of mercy committee who have interviewed all inmates based on deteriorating health status, age as well as good behaviour and industry during the period of serving their sentences.”
