A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, has granted the Former governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, bail in the sum of 150 million Naira in the 27 billion Naira fraud allegations preferred against him by the federal government.
Justice Sylvanus Oriji granted Ishaku bail with two sureties in the same amount, as one of the two sureties must be a federal government employee and must be a Director.
Justice Oriji while ruling in the bail application said the two sureties must be residents in the FCT with their house addresses to be verified by the Registrar of the Court.
The trial Judge however barred the former governor and his co-defendant, Bello Yero, the former Permanent Secretary of Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, from traveling out of the country except with the permission of the court.
Rotimi Jacobs SAN, counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC did not oppose the bail request of the former governor on grounds that he had been grated administrative bail before now and did not jump the bail.
Justice Oriji, fixed November 4, 5 and 13 for commencement of trial.
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Ishaku, after leaving office in 2023, as governor for eight years was slammed with 15 count charges by EFCC but pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned in September.
The EFCC had in the charge accused the defendants of diverting over 1 billion Naira to their personal use between August 25, 2015, and March 21, 2016, in Abuja, noting that the said amount formed part of the 2.5 per cent contingency funds belonging to the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The EFCC noted that the duo committed an offence contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code A, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007 and punishable under the same section.
Another count read, “That you Ishaku whilst being the Governor of Taraba State and Bello Yero whilst being the Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State between July 19, 2019 and February 5, 2021 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain property, to wit: an aggregate sum of N3,348,942,411.15, which sum formed part of the funds belonging to Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State and Local Government Councils in Taraba State, and you thereby committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property, when you dishonestly diverted the said sum to your own use,”.
(Editor : Ena Agbanoma)
