FG Pardons Ex-Govs Dariye, Nyame Convicted For N2.7Bn Fraud, Others

The Council of State led by the President Muhammadu Buhari, has pardoned 159 convicts including a former Governor of Plateau State, Senator Joshua Dariye; and ex-Governor Jolly Nyame of Taraba State, who were both convicted for N1.16bn and N1.6bn fraud respectively.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, made this known when he addressed State House correspondents on the outcome of the Council’s meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, in Abuja.

The affected 159 beneficiaries were inmates convicted and currently serving sentences for various offences.

Malami said the recommendation came after the council received the report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy.

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Malami noted that the recommendation came after the council received the report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy.

Confirming Dariye’s pardon, the Commissioner for Information, Plateau, Dan Manjang, said the ex-governor had been given a second chance.

The Director of Press and Public Affairs, Government House, Dr Macham Makut, also confirmed that Governor Simon Lalong was at the council of State meeting where Dariye was granted state pardon.

Dariye and Nyame were convicted by Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in 2018. Dariye, who was governor from 1999 to 2007, was jailed for laundering public funds to the tune of N1.162bn and was sentenced to 14 years in prison by Justice Banjoko who has since been elevated to the Court of Appeal.

Dariye’s prison term was later reduced to 10 years by the Court of Appeal in Abuja while his conviction was affirmed by the Supreme Court.

For Rev Nyame, who was governor of Taraba State from 1999 to 2007, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison for stealing N1.6 billion from the state’s treasury, a judgment which was also upheld by the Supreme Court.