How Joshua Dariye pleaded for mercy before his conviction

Ex- Governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye on Tuesday pleaded with the counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs to have mercy on him, after the counsel noted that the former governor showed no sign of remorse. READ ALSO: Is there a saint in Nigeria, Dariye queries EFCC Mr. Rotimi Jacobs asked the court not to give the […]

Ex- Governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye on Tuesday pleaded with the counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs to have mercy on him, after the counsel noted that the former governor showed no sign of remorse.

READ ALSO: Is there a saint in Nigeria, Dariye queries EFCC

Mr. Rotimi Jacobs asked the court not to give the ex-governor a light sentence so as to serve as a deterrence to public office holders.  

"He is not remorseful, his case should serve as a deterrence," Mr. Jacobs said.

READ ALSO: Joshua Dariye to spend 14 years in prison

Mr Dariye who maintained silence throughout the process then spoke, pleading for mercy.

READ ALSO: Nyame’s kinsmen protest jail sentence

"Have mercy, you are a Christian, your name is Jacob," Dariye begged.

Earlier, Mr. Dariye’s counsel, Paul Erokoro (SAN) begged the court to be lenient on the convict, noting that the offence was committed in 2001, two years when the 1999 Constitution came into effect and that Dariye, as part of the first sets of leaders after the enactment, was ignorant of the financial laws.

READ ALSO: Ex-governor Nyame gets 14-year jail term

The former Governor was sentenced to a 14-years jail term by Justice Adebukola Banjoko at an FCT High Court in Gudu, Abuja.

He was found guilty of 15 out of the 23-count charge levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on offences bordering on criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of N1.1billion Ecological Funds for the state amongst other state funds.