By Emmanuella Ekele

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a former governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, and a former Permanent Secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Bello Yero, before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja for fraud.

Both are being prosecuted on a 15-count charge, bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and conversion of public funds to the tune of N27bn.

One of the charges reads: “That you Darius Dickson Sshaku 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 2015 and May 2019 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 n1, 138, 082, 097.71 (one billion, one hundred and thirty-eight million, eighty-two thousand, ninety- seven naira, seventy-one kobo), which sum formed part of the 2.5% contingency fund belonging to the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you dishonestly diverted the said sum to your own use and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 315 of the penal code act, cap 532, laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007 and punishable under the same section.”

Another count reads: “That you Darius Dickson Sshaku 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 2015 and May 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, dishonestly misappropriated certain property, to wit: an aggregate sum of n1, 138, 082, 097.71 (one billion, one hundred and thirty-eight million, eighty-two thousand, ninety-seven naira, seventy-one kobo, which sum formed part of the 2.5% contingency fund belonging to the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Act, CAP 532, laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007 and punishable under Section 309 of the same act.”

They pleaded “Not guilty” when all the charges were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, san to ask the court for a trial date as well as an accelerated hearing of the matter, while Paul Haris Ogbole, and Oluwa Damilola Kayode, counsel to Ishaku and Yero respectively made oral bail applications which jacobs opposed, insisting on formal applications.

Justice Oriji adjourned the matter till Thursday, October 3, for a hearing on bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded in EFCC’s custody. Both defendants were arrested on September 27, 2024.

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