Joshua Dariye

Court

High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja (trial); Court of Appeal, Abuja; Supreme Court of Nigeria

Parties

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (for the Federal Republic of Nigeria) v. Joshua Dariye

Claims. 23-count amended charge alleging diversion of about N1.16bn of Ecological Fund money meant for Plateau State, including transfers to Ebenezer Retnan Ventures and Pinnacle Communications Limited, as criminal breach of trust and criminal misappropriation.

Decision. 12 June 2018: convicted on 15 counts (discharged on 8); 14 years for criminal breach of trust and 2 years for misappropriation, concurrent; N80m recovered ordered returned to Plateau State. 16 November 2018: Court of Appeal (panel led by Justice Stephen Adah) upheld conviction, found counts 12 and 23 not proven and reduced sentences to 10 years and 1 year. 12 March 2021: Supreme Court (five-justice panel led by Justice Mary Odili; lead judgment by Justice Ejembi Eko, read by Justice Helen Ogunwumiju) unanimously upheld the 10-year sentence for criminal breach of trust under section 315 of the Penal Code and quashed the misappropriation convictions.^{[1, 2, 3]}