EFCC slams 15 charges on ex-Taraba governor Darius Ishaku

Darius Ishaku, the former governor of Taraba State, is facing at least fifteen accusations according to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Previous report by Gistreel stated that in the wee hours of Friday, September 27, the anti-graft agency picked up the former state leader from his Abuja home.

Ishaku was detained for his role in a fraud of ₦27 billion.

The former governor is set to stand trial on 15 charges, ranging from criminal breach of trust to misappropriation and embezzlement of public money.

These alleged crimes took place from 2015 to 2021 while Ishaku was in office, involving the state’s and local government’s funds.

In particular, Ishaku is accused of siphoning off ₦1.01 billion from the 2.5% reserve fund of the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, between August 2015 and March 2016.

He is also said to have misused ₦3.348 billion from the funds of local government councils for his own benefit and took ₦639 million for personal use.

More accusations point to the theft of ₦1.138 billion from the same reserve fund between July 2015 and May 2019, as well as the theft of ₦193 million from the Donga Local Government Council’s funds.

Other charges include the theft of ₦650 million from the Gassol Local Government Council, ₦170 million from the Gashaka Local Government Council, and ₦201 million from the Ardo Kola Local Government Council.

The ex-governor is also being accused of purchasing a duplex in Abuja with funds from the Taraba State Government and using ₦761 million to settle a loan for his company, Worthy Construction Limited.

The spokesperson for the Commission, Dele Oyewale, has confirmed these allegations.

The charge sheet reads in part: “That you, DARIUS DICKSON ISHAKU, while being the Governor of Taraba State and BELLO YERO, while being the Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, between 25th August 2015 and 21st March 2016 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain property, to wit: an aggregate sum of N1,010,000,000 (One Billion and Ten Million Naira), which sum formed part of the 2.5% contingency funds belonging to the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property, when you dishonestly diverted the said sum to your own use and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007 and punishable under the same Section.

“That you, DARIUS DICKSON ISHAKU, while being the Governor of Taraba State between 3rd September 2015 and 29th January 2018 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain property, to wit: an aggregate sum of N761,301,000 (Seven Hundred and Sixty-One Million, Three Hundred and One Thousand Naira), which sum formed part of the funds belonging to Taraba State Government and Local Government Councils in Taraba State, and you hereby committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property, when you dishonestly diverted the said sum to defray the loan of One Billion Naira granted by Zenith Bank Plc. to your company, Worthy Construction Limited, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007 and punishable under the same section.”