Absence of EFCC witness stalls Dariye's trial

The alleged money laundering charge against former Plateau State Governor Joshua Dariye was stalled yesterday because of the absence of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's (EFCC's)  witness.

Following absence of the witness, Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, adjourned the case till May 9 and May10.

EFCC's counsel Leke Atolagbe said the commission's key witness, expected from outside the shores of the country, had not arrived.

'There are some procedures to follow to bring him to the country,'' Atolagbe said.

Dariye is being prosecuted by the EFCC on a 23-count charge of money laundering and diversion of the state's ecological funds.

EFCC alleged that the former governor siphoned the state's ecological fund's N1.16 billion.

The commission, on April 4, fielded a forensic expert, who testified against Dariye about the signatures on the bank's mandate card of Ebenezer Retnan Ventures.

Dariye and his counsel Garba Pwul were in court. The Nation