October 03, (THEWILL) – The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, Abuja, has granted N150m bail each to former Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, and his co-defendant, Bello Yero.
THEWILL reports that Ishaku, who governed Taraba State between 2015 and 2023, was arrested at his Abuja residence on Friday, September 27, by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged N27bn fraud.
The EFCC had on Monday, September 30, arraigned the former governor and his co-defendant, former permanent secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Taraba state, Bello Yero, before Justice Sylvanus C Oriji on a 15-count charge.
According to the charge sheet dated September 27, both Ishaku and Yero are accused of diverting over N1 billion from the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs between 2015 and 2016.
The EFCC alleged that the defendants used the funds for personal purposes, in violation of Section 315 of the Penal Code A, Cap 532 of the FCT laws, which deals with criminal breach of trust.
Part of the charges read: “That you, Darius Dickson Ishaku, 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 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 read: “That you, Darius Dickson Ishaku, 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 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.”
Although Ishaku and his co-defendant had maintained a not guilty plea on Monday, Justice Sylvanus Oriji adjourned the matter till Thursday, October 3, for hearing on their bail applications.
Ruling on Thursday, Justice Oriji admitted Ishaku and Bello to N150m bail each and two sureties in like form who must be residents in the FCT, with their house addresses verified by the registrar of the court.
While one of them must be a director with the Federal Civil Service, Justice Oriji barred the former governor and his co-defendant, Yero, from travelling out of the country except with permission of the court.
Meanwhile, the court has fixed November 4, 5 and 13 for the commencement of trial.
