Nigerian Ex-governor WANTED In London - EFCC

• Joshua Dariye is facing charges for money laundering
• The former governor diverted money meant for Plateau state to his personal account
• He jumped bail in London and escaped to Nigeria although his case is still pending

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has revealed that the former governor of Plateau state, Joshua Dariye is wanted by the United Kingdom for alleged money laundering although it is not clear if he will be handed over to the foreign country yet considering he is facing charges in Nigeria.

The former governor was slammed with 23-counts charge of money laundering and alleged diversion of about N1.126 billion Plateau state government’s ecological funds.

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The Punch reports that the EFCC told a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Gudu, Abuja, on Tuesday, January 26 that the senator jumped bail in London in 2004 and escaped to Nigeria.

Mr. Sunday Musa, a prosecution witness for the EFCC said the London Investigating police officer, Mr. Peter Clark, visited Nigeria in the course of EFCC’s investigation into the case against Dariye

“The defendant (Dariye) was granted police bail by the UK police and he jumped bail. The Investigating Police Officer in London, Peter Clark, was in Nigeria in the course of our investigation,”

Dariye’s trial began following a seven year break since the case was opened. A supreme court’s judgment in February 2015 dismissed the former governor’s appeal and ordered him to appear at his trial.

Musa narrated to the court, presided over by Justice Adebukola Banjoko, how Dariye allegedly diverted the state’s N1.126 billion ecological funds to his personal bank account.

He claimed the bank manager who was acting on Dariye’s instructions, paid N100m in the name of the “PDP South-West”. The money was later traced to a company – Marine Float Nigeria Limited – allegedly owned by former vice president Atiku Abubakar.

The witness confirmed that the decision by the EFCC to investigate Dariye for alleged money laundering was instigated by information provided by the London metropolitan police and that Dariye’s case was still pending in London.

Musa said: “From our investigation in Nigeria and documents tendered clearly showed that the defendant was arrested by the Metropolitan Police in London, granted bail, jumped bail and escaped to Nigeria.

“We also saw a Diamond Bank draft of N204m, drawn from the Plateau State Accountant General’s account, but paid into Ebenezer Ritnan’s account.

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“The instructions for the payment were given by the Accountant General, Sham Damisa; Nuhu Ali Madaki, Deputy Director, Treasury; and Silas Bum-But, Deputy Director, Inspectorate.

“In the course of investigation, we invited these people to prove to the commission what job was executed by Ebenezer Ritnan to have warranted the payment. But they could not show that any job was done for the state and for which the state paid the money.

“For failing to provide reasons for this payment, they were charged to court. They are currently on trial before this court.

“In the course of the investigation, the defendant was invited to make a statement, which he did at the Asokoro office of the EFCC.”

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