A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Monday remanded former Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku and former Permanent Secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The duo was arrested on September 27 for allegedly diverting N27bn belonging to the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
In the suit, marked CR/792/24, filed before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, the EFCC accused the defendants of diverting N1,010,000,000 to their personal use between August 25, 2015, and March 21, 2016, in Abuja.
The anti-graft agency stated that this amount formed part of the 2.5 percent contingency funds belonging to the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The EFCC further alleged that the duo committed an offense contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code A, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007, which is punishable under the same section.
Other sums allegedly diverted by the defendants as part of the contingency fund include N650,686,369.99 between January 6, 2019, and April 29, 2021; N193,030,000 between January 2019 and April 29, 2021; and N170,549,842.00 between January 6, 2019, and April 29, 2021, among others.
Upon their arraignment, the defendants, according to a statement by the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, pleaded not guilty. Oyewale stated that the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), asked the court for a trial date and an accelerated hearing of the matter.
He added that Paul Haris Ogbole (SAN) and Oluwa Damilola Kayode, counsel for Ishaku and Yero respectively, made oral bail applications, which Jacobs opposed, insisting on formal applications.
Consequently, Justice S. C. Iji adjourned the matter until Thursday, October 3, for hearing on the bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded in the EFCC’s custody.