Alleged N27b Fraud: EFCC Accuses Ex-Taraba Governor Ishaku Of Frustrating Trial

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has accused former Taraba State Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku and his co-defendant, Bello Yero, a former Permanent Secretary at the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Taraba State, of attempting to derail their trial.

Ishaku and Yero were arraigned on September 30 by the EFCC before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on a 15-count charge.

The charge borders on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and conversion of N27 billion public funds.

At the mention of the case yesterday, prosecuting lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), averred that although the case was planned for the commencement of trial, the defendants filed notices of preliminary objection, challenging the court’s jurisdiction.

Jacobs said the applications were meant to scuttle the trial, alleging that the defendants only waited for the day set for trial to file their applications.

He argued that the intention of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) was to prevent such dilatory tactics by defendants in criminal cases.

Ishaku’s lawyer, Paul Ogbole (SAN), said his client’s application was files on Monday, adding that it was not intended to scuttle the trial, as the prosecution claimed.

Yero’s lawyer, Adeola Adedipe (SAN), echoed what Ogbole said, and Jacobs sought to be allowed to respond to both applications.

Justice Sylvania Oriji adjourned till November 13 for hearing of the applications.

In their objections, the defendants argued that the counts in the charge related to the finance, money and assets of Taraba State government and that the power to investigate and prosecute such offences was vested in the state government or the state’s Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission.

They also argued that EFCC had neither power nor legal capacity to institute the charge against the defendants.