The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, February 27, 2018, arraigned Nanle Miracle Dariye, son of former Plateau State Governor, Joshua Dariye, on a 6-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N1.5billion. He was arraigned before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Dariye was arraigned alongside Apartment le Paradis, an hotel where he was a director.
The defendant failed to report a cash transaction to the tune of N1.5billion which he received through the hotel’s account in one of the old generation banks. The amount is above the threshold of the N10million permissible by law. Additionally, the hotel was also not registered with the Designated Non-Financial Institution, DNFI.
The offence is in contravention of Section 5(1) (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 5 (b) of the same Act.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge when they were read to him.
In view of his plea, counsel to the EFCC, George Adebola, asked the court to fix a date for trial and for the defendant to be remanded in prison custody.
However, Dariye’s counsel, Charles Abalaka, pleaded that the he was yet to file application for bail as he was served with the charge late yesterday. He urged the court to admit his client to bail, while presenting two sureties – Mr. Amana Yusuf, a Grade Level 12 civil servant working with Ministry of Defence and Mrs. Rose, a Grade Level 13 officer working with Head of Service in Abuja.
Justice Ojukwu admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N5million with two sureties like sum. The sureties, the judge said must be resident of Abuja and must provide tax evidences for 2015, 2016 and 2017. The defendant is also to submit his international passport and certificate of occupancy.
The judge, thereafter, adjourned to April 10 -12, 2018 for commencement of trial.
“The defendant is to be remanded in EFCC custody pending the fulfillment of the bail conditions”, the judge added.
