London's Metropolitan Police declares that former Governor Dariye is still a wanted man

LONDON'S Metropolitan Police has declared that former Plateau State governor Senator Joshua Dariye is still a wanted man in the UK over his alleged involvement in money laundering having jumped bail in 2004.

 

On September 28, 2004, Senator Dariye was arrested by a team of Metropolitan Police officers led by Detective Peter Clerk. However, the then governor jumped bail and returned to Nigeria and has since been elected as the senator representing the Plateau Central Senatorial District.

 

Yesterday, Mr Clerk told an Abuja high court that the 2004 warrant of arrest issued against Senator Dariye is still valid. He made the disclosure at the resumed hearing on a 23-count criminal charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) preferred against the former governor before the high court.

 

Mr Clerk, who is now retired, testified before the court yesterday as the ninth prosecution witness and narrated how his team arrested the defendant and his personal assistant, Christabel Bentu, in a hotel in London. He said Senator Dariye’s arrest and subsequent detention was a fallout of an investigation into a credit card fraud involving one Christopher McQuiney, who he said was caught with £11,500 concealed in a briefcase.

 

He told the court that Mr McQuiney, who was arrested and taken to a police station in northeast London, confessed that the money belonged to his boss, Senator Dariye. Mr Clerk said he had also testified before an investigating committee in Jos, saying his evidence was what eventually led to Senator Dariye’s impeachment.

 

While being cross-examined by Senator Dariye’s lawyer, Garba Pwul, Mr Clerk insisted that the former governor would be arrested anytime he visits the UK. He then produced before trial Justice Adebukola Banjoko, seven boxes which he said contained printouts of all financial transactions, account opening packages and other exhibits that would establish Senator Dariye’s involvement in the illicit transfer of funds to the UK.

 

Senator Dariye, has since pleaded not guilty to the charge against him. Since his first arraignment on July 13, 2007 at the Federal High Court, Abuja, he has denied any wrongdoing and had his legal team file several motions to delay the trial.