News Obiaks News

The son of former Plateau State Governor, Nanle Miracle Dariye, has been indicted and brought before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja on a six count charge of money laundering of the sum of 1.5 billion Naira.

The anti graft agency alleges that the defendant failed to report a cash transaction of 1.5 billion Naira which he received through the hotel, Apartment Le Paradis' account, where he was a director.

Nanle Dariye was charged alongside the hotel, which according to the anti-graft agency was not registered as 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 second count reads: "That you, Nanle Miracle Dariye, while being a director of Apartment le Paradis Limited and Apartment le Paradis Limited on 28th day of March 2013 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court did commit an offence to wit: Failure to report within seven days, a cash transaction in the sum of N551,555,428.50 paid to Apartment le Paradis Limited by BGL Securities Ltd vide your First Bank Plc Account No 2014165731 on 28th day of March 2013, which is above the threshold of N10,000,000; and you hereby committed an offence contrary to Section 10(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 10 (3) of the same Act".

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge and making counsel to the EFCC, George Adebola, asked that the court to fix a date for trial and for the defendant to be remanded in prison custody.

Counsel to the defendant, Charles Abalaka, however, pleaded with the court as he was yet to file an application for bail because he was served with the charge late on Monday. He pushed for 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 one Mrs Rose, a Grade Level 13 officer working in the Office of the Head of Service in Abuja.

The presiding judge, Justice Ojukwu admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of 5 million naira with two sureties in like sum and that the sureties must provide tax evidences for 2015, 2016 and 2017.

The judge set the date for commencement of trial for April 10 - 12, 2018.