The trial of
a former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, who is being prosecuted by
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 23-count charge
bordering on money laundering and diversion of funds, continued on February 2,
2016 with the statement he made in 2007 forming the thrust of the day’s
proceedings.
His trial
before Justice Adebukola Banjoko of a Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High
Court, Gudu, Abuja had commenced on January 25, 2016 with the EFCC presenting
exhibits, including the statement, as part of documents to prosecute him for
allegedly diverting N1.162 billion Ecological Fund meant for the state, to
private companies and individuals.
In the
statement, Dariye had acknowledged giving instruction to All States Trust Bank,
(now defunct), on the disbursement of the said N1.162 billion Fund, which had
been released by the Office of the Ecological Fund and credited to the bank.
A document
from the bank confirming the disbursement of the Fund as instructed by Dariye
was also presented in court. In the document, the then state governor,
instructed that N250 million be paid to Pinnacle Communications Limited, PCL;
N80 million to Union Savings & Loans; N550 million to the Plateau State government;
N100 million to People’s Democratic Party, PDP South-west; and N176,862,900 to
Ebenezer Retnan Ventures, ERV.
Prosecution
witness, Musa Sunday, who was cross-examined by G. S. Pwul, counsel to Dariye,
told the court that the documents, including Dariye’s statement were obtained
in the course of investigations into the alleged diversion of the N1.162
billion Fund.
According to
him, though during investigation the owner of PCL – a contractor with the state
government confirmed the receipt for work done for the state, ERV was a company
owned by the former governor, and actually got paid the sum of N160 million
(instead of N176,862,900 as earlier
instructed by Dariye) for no services rendered to the state government.
He told the
court that during interrogation of Dariye, he admitted that the balance of
about N16 million was shared between the then Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim
Nasir Mantu, who got N10 million, and the remaining N6 million given to the PDP
in the state.
He said, “We
invited the owner of Pinnacle Communications Limited who confirmed that he was
a contractor for the Plateau State government.
“The N80
million credited to Union Savings was traced to Kingsley Nkomah the Permanent
Secretary in the Ecological Fund office, which investigations later showed was
the share of Nkomah to facilitate the release of the Fund.
“During
interrogation, the defendant volunteered his statement and made it clear that
the N100 million paid PDP South-west was different from the N100 million we
traced to Marine Float Nigeria Limited.”
Sunday told
the court that the N80 million was, however, recovered from Nkomah.
Justice
Banjoko, thereafter adjourned till February 3, 2016 for continuation of trial.
Wilson
Uwujaren
Head, Media
& Publicity
2nd
February, 2016
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
NDDC Seeks EFCC’s Collaboration
The acting
managing director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mrs Ibim
Semenitari has called for the support and collaboration of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in helping the agency fulfill its mandate as
an intervention agency. She made the appeal on February 1, 2016, when she led
management team of the Commission on a visit to the South-South Zonal office of
the EFCC in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Mrs
Semenitari noted that the EFCC and NDDC have been working in close
collaboration over the years and promised the Commission’s assistance in
helping the EFCC zonal office discharge its responsibilities to the zone in
terms of checking all forms of corruption and financial crimes.
She urged
the Commission to step up its sensitization efforts to educate Nigerians on the
dangers of corruption.
The NDDC
boss expressed confidence that her visit to the EFCC will impact positively on
her efforts to restructure the agency.
Responding,
the Zonal Head EFCC, Ishaq Salihu, commended the NDDC boss for the visit and
willingness to partner with the EFCC. He noted the existence of a syndicate of
contract scammers within and around the NDDC, assuring that the commission has
now beamed its search light on them.
Ishaq said
that there has been a strong bond of partnership between the NDDC and the EFCC
over the years and expressed the hope that the relationship would be deepened
in the coming months and years.
Wilson
Uwujaren
Head,
Media& Publicity
2nd
February, 2016
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