Governor

During his time as governor, he was arrested in London, England on 20 January 2004, with large sums of money.^[3] Serving governors have immunity from criminal prosecution and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), an anti corruption agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria established to check corrupt practices was waiting for 2007 when his term in office would end to charge him to court for money laundering. He was accused of stealing about $9m of public funds and of money laundering.^[3]

Impeachment

In early October 2006, eight of the twenty-four state assembly members issued an impeachment notice against Dariye. In his defence, he stated that the notice was invalid as the eight did not form a quorum of the assembly as required by the law. A crowd of Dariye's supporters tried to prevent the assembly members from entering the state assembly building. Riot police then fired into the crowd, killing two protestors.^[4]

Dariye was impeached on 13 November 2006. His deputy, Michael Botmang, became the new governor. On 10 March 2007, after a Court of Appeal ordered Dariye reinstated as governor, the Plateau State Government announced its intention to appeal to the Supreme Court.^[5]

On 27 April 2007, the Supreme Court refused the ^{[clarification needed]} of the Plateau State Government and ordered the reinstatement of Dariye with immediate effect.^[6]

Following his reinstatement, Dariye's term of office as Governor of Plateau State concluded on 29 May 2007.^[7]

Senator

In April 2011, Dariye was elected Senator for Plateau Central Senatorial District on the Labour Party platform. He received 189,140 votes, defeating Dawuda Gowon of the PDP, younger brother of former head of state, Yakubu Gowon, who received 160,106 votes.^[8][9]

On 28 March 2015, he was re-elected as senator representing Plateau central senatorial district after polling 189,150 votes.^[10]

Trial resumes

The Supreme Court's judgment delivered on 27 February 2015, the former Plateau State Governor's trial resumed after about nine years of delay on 26 January 2016.^[11] The EFCC called its first prosecution witness, Musa Sunday, who is a detective with the anti-graft agency and who was involved in the investigation of Dariye for the alleged crime. Sunday, during his testimony before Justice Banjoko gave a breakdown of his team's report of investigation revealing how the ecological funds obtained by Dariye, as then governor of Plateau State, was allegedly diverted.^[11]

Conviction

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Gudu, Abuja, on Tuesday 12 June 2018 sentenced Dariye to 14 years’ imprisonment on the charges of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of funds (1.6 billion naira) while he was the Governor of Plateau state. The sentence was then appealed and eventually the Supreme Court gave a final verdict of a 10 years sentence for the offence committed.^[13][14]

Reduction of jail term

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Friday 16 November 2018 reduced the 14-year sentence against Dariye to 10 years’. The presiding judge of the court, Justice Stephen Adah, reduced the charges in the counts to 10 years, while the terms with two years are reduced to one year each. The sentences are to run concurrently.^[15]

Pardon

On 14 April, the federal government of Nigeria granted Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame a presidential pardon. The action was criticised by civil society organisations and the general public.^[16][17]

Released

Following pardon approved by the council of state, led by the President, Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had on 14 April.

Now Former Governor of Plateau State, Senator Joshua Dariye, and a former Taraba State Governor, Jolly Nyame, and others have been released from Kuje prison.^[18]