Money laundering: Ex-Gov Dariye wanted in UK - EFCC

A police detective with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Musa Sunday on Tuesday told an Abuja High Court in Gudu, said that the case of money laundering for which Dariye was rounded up and admitted to bail and was expected to report back, is still pending before London Metropolitan Police.
Sunday told the trial judge, Justice Adebukola Banjoko while testifying in the money laundering trial of Dariye, now a serving Senator, representing Plateau Central, was governor of the state between 1999 and 2007. He is facing a 23-count charge.
The witness, while being cross-examined by Dariye’s lawyer, Garba Pwul (SAN) confirmed that the decision by the EFCC to investigate Dariye for alleged money laundering was informed by information provided by the London Metropolitan Police. He said the case was still pending in London.
“The defendant (Dariye) was granted police bail by the UK police. And he jumped bail. The Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in London, Peter Clerk was in Nigeria in the course of our investigation,” Sunday said.
The prosecution has indicated, in its proof of evidence, that current Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu may testify in the case. He is listed as one of the 33 witnesses slated for the case by the prosecution. Magu led the five-man team of EFCC detectives that investigated the case.
Earlier in his evidence-in-chief, Sunday gave details of how Dariye allegedly moved funds from the account of the Plateau State’s Accountant General in Lion bank (now defunct) to an account in All States Trust Bank (now defunct) allegedly owned by a firm, Ebenezer Ritnan Venture Limited, linked to Dariye.