A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, granted former Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku bail in the sum of N150 million in connection to the N27 billion fraud case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
In his ruling, Justice Sylvanus Oriji set the bail at N150 million with two sureties, both of whom must provide the same amount. One surety is required to be a federal government employee at the Director level, and both must reside in the Federal Capital Territory, with their addresses verified by the Court Registrar.
Additionally, the court placed restrictions on the movement of Ishaku and his co-defendant, Bello Yero, the former Permanent Secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, barring them from traveling outside Nigeria without court approval.
After granting the bail, which the prosecution did not oppose, Justice Oriji scheduled the trial to commence on November 4, 5, and 13. EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), acknowledged that the former governor had previously been granted administrative bail by the commission and had adhered to its terms, thus they did not contest the bail request.
Ishaku, who served as governor until 2023, was arraigned on Monday, facing 15 charges filed by the EFCC. He pleaded not guilty.
The charges, numbered CR/792/24 and filed on September 27, named Ishaku and Yero as defendants.
The EFCC alleges that between August 2015 and March 2016, the two diverted N1,010,000,000, part of the 2.5% contingency fund from the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, for personal use.
Further charges claim that from July 2015 to May 2019, they siphoned N1,138,082,097.71 from the same contingency fund. Additionally, the EFCC accuses them of using N761,301,000 between September 2015 and January 2018 to pay off a loan of N1 billion obtained from Zenith Bank for Worthy Construction Limited.
The alleged offenses violate Section 315 of the Penal Code A, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, and are punishable under the same provision.
“That you 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 19, 2019, and February 5, 2021, 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 N3,348,942,411.15, which sum formed part of the funds belonging to Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State and Local Government Councils in Taraba State, and you thereby committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property, when you dishonestly diverted the said sum to your use,” the charge sheet partly read.
Additional amounts allegedly diverted by the defendants from the contingency fund include N650,686,369.99 between January 6, 2019, and April 29, 2021; N193,030,000 during the same period; and N170,549,842.00 between January 6, 2019, and April 29, 2021, among other sums.
