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CISLAC lauds Dariye’s sentence as court rules on Ajudua’s bail July 5

By Segun Olaniyi, Kingsley Jeremiah (Abuja) and Yetunde Ayobami Ojo (Lagos)
14 June 2018   |   4:10 am
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) yesterday commended the judiciary for the judgment against former Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State.

Joshua Dariye

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) yesterday commended the judiciary for the judgment against former Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State.

He was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for misappropriation of public funds on Tuesday, June 12, 2018.

Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim Musa, said in Abuja that the judgment, coming shortly after the 14-year sentence of former Governor of Taraba State, Jolly Nyame, on corruption charges in May, was a major step towards restoring the people’s confidence in the corruption fight.

He said until recently, several allegations leveled against Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), had yielded no results regardless of clear cases of embezzlement and misuse of funds leveled against them.

“It is embarrassing to Nigerians and the nation as a whole that many of these PEPs, who still contest elections in some states, have not been handed down a decisive sentence,” the statement reads.

Musa urged the judiciary and appellate courts to be consistent and firm and consolidate the implementation of the new administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, by shunning every form of inducements and manipulations to delay justice.

“We call on the National Assembly to support the Federal Government by ensuring the passage of all pending anti-corruption bills,” it said.

Meanwhile, Justice Mojisola Dada of a Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja has fixed July 5, 2018 to rule on a bail application filed by Fred Ajudua who allegedly defrauded a German, Zaid Abu Zalaf, of $550,000 in 1993.

The trial judge fixed the date after entertaining arguments from both counsels in the matter yesterday.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Ajudua and one Joseph Ochunor for allegedly defrauding Zalaf of $550,000 on 12-count charge but he pleaded not guilty.

Their offence bordered on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretense, forgery, altering forged document contrary to section 516, 419, 467(2)(i) 468 of Criminal Code Cap C17 Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.

However, the prosecution counsel, Mr. T.J. Bayo opposed Ajudua’s bail, urging the court to refuse him bail.

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