The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned former Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, and the state’s former Permanent Secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on charges of fraud.
The two are facing a 15-count charge, which includes criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and the conversion of public funds amounting to N27 billion.
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One of the charges reads: “That you Darius Dickson Sshaku 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 the 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 reads: “That you Darius Dickson Sshaku 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 the 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.”
Both defendants pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges, leading the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, to request a trial date and an accelerated hearing of the case. Meanwhile, defense counsel Paul Haris Ogbole (representing Ishaku) and Oluwa Damilola Kayode (representing Yero) made oral bail applications, which Jacobs opposed, insisting on formal applications.
Justice Oriji adjourned the case to Thursday, October 3, for a hearing on the bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded in the EFCC’s custody. Both defendants were arrested on September 27, 2024.
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