Dariye May Recover N500m Mansion From EFCC After Pardon

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Sunday, April 24th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, may recover his N500m mansion in Asokoro, Federal Capital Territory, from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission following his pardon by the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

Dariye, who was convicted for stealing N1.16bn while he was governor between 1999 and 2007, was pardoned by Buhari on April 14, 2022 following the recommendation of the National Council of State.

The former governor’s conviction by Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in 2018 was affirmed by both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

On the strength of the affirmation of the conviction by the Supreme Court, the EFCC, through its lawyer, Mr Oluwaleke Atolagbe, approached a Federal High Court in Abuja seeking the final forfeiture of the property based on the argument that it was purchased with proceeds of crime.

The property, located at 19 Frederick Chiluba Close, sits on over 2,000 square metres in upscale Asokoro and in the middle of several governors’ lodges.

A top source at the EFCC disclosed that the property could not be worth less than N500m.

An EFCC official, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “That property cannot be worth less than N500m. The truth is that now that Dariye has been pardoned, it means the crime never occurred in the eyes of the law. That means the property may not be recovered from him. At this point, we don’t even know what will happen to the forfeiture case.

“It will now depend on the Attorney-General of the Federation to determine how to enforce the pardon along with the instruments of the pardon.”

The EFCC had told Justice Inyang Ekwo in February that since the trial had been concluded and Dariye had been jailed for criminal breach of trust and dishonest conversion of over N1bn belonging to Plateau State, it was proper that the court order the final forfeiture of the convict’s known assets.

Punch