Governor serving term sentenced in error

Ex-Gov. Joshua Dariye serving terms in prison has got his 14-year jail term commuted to 10 years by the Court of Appeal in Abuja

The court however insisted the conviction was right, though the former governor of Plateau should have been jailed for 10 years.

The court reduced the sentence of 14 years to 10 years for criminal breach of trust while a similar conviction for diversion of N1. 62 billion ecological funds was reduced from two years to one year.

The sentences are to run concurrently, like the previous judgement in June.

According to the appeal court, the lower court erred in law when it sentenced Mr Dariye, a first time offender, to the maximum 14 years term contained in the charge against him.

The Administration of Criminal Justice Act does not allow maximum sentence for first time offenders.

Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Gudu, Abuja sentenced Dariye to 14 years in June.

He was convicted on charges of criminal breach of trust and criminal appropriation of state’s funds.