Alleged N27bln fraud: Ex-Taraba Gov. Ishaku granted N150m bail

Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has granted former Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, N150 million bail.

He is also granted two sureties in like sum, who must be residents of the FCT with their house addresses verified by the court’s registrar.

One of them must be a federal civil service director.

Also granted bail in the same amount is the former Permanent Secretary at the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Taraba State, Bello Yero.

Justice Oriji barred the former governor and his co-defendant, Yero, from traveling out of the country without the court’s permission.

The duo is currently standing trial for their alleged involvement in a massive N27 billion fraud case.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a 15-count charge against them, accusing them of criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and illegal conversion of public funds.

Persecondnews recalls that at their arraignment on Monday, both men pleaded not guilty to the charges against them and requested bail pending a hearing and determination of the case.

Their lawyers, Mr. Paul Ogbole (SAN) and Mr. Oluwa Kayode, made oral applications for bail, but Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), the EFCC’s lead counsel, opposed the request, insisting on formal applications to allow for proper response.

During Thursday’s proceedings, Justice Oriji granted bail after the prosecution did not oppose the request.

The trial has been adjourned to November 4.

The EFCC arrested Ishaku and Yero on September 27 in connection with the alleged diversion of N1.138 billion from the 2.5% contingency fund belonging to the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Taraba State, according to Persecondnews.

The charges against them include: “That you, Darius Dickson Ishaku, while being Governor of Taraba State, and you, Bello Yero, while being Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, between July 2015 and May 2019, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly diverted an aggregate sum of N1,138,082,097.71, which formed part of the contingency fund of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, to your personal use, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code Act and punishable under the same Section.”

The EFCC has requested an accelerated hearing of the case.