The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Gudu, Abuja, on Tuesday convicted a former Governor of Plateau State and serving senator, Joshua Dariye, on corruption charges.
Justice Adebukola Banjoko who listened to defence lawyer, Paul Erokor (SAN)’s, plea for mercy made on behalf of his client convicted the ex-governor on 15 out the 23 counts preferred against him.
The judge, in a six-and-a-half-hour judgment convicted the ex-governor on charges of criminal breach of trust and criminal misappropriation punishable under sections 315 and 309 of the Penal Code Act, respectively.
The judge threw out eight of the 23 charges on the grounds of either duplicity or lack of sufficient evidence.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), is opposing the defence lawyer’s plea for mercy and asked the court to impose the maximum sentence.
The judge is to pass her sentence after listening to Jacobs.
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