Posted by FROM TUNDE OYEDOYIN (LONDON) AND ISA ABDULSALAMI (JOS) on
PLATEAU State Governor Joshua Dariye will tomorrow know the fate of the sum of £120,000 found in his hotel room earlier this year, when hearing opens at the Strafford Magistrates' Court in East London.
PLATEAU State Governor Joshua Dariye will tomorrow know the fate of the sum of £120,000 found in his hotel room earlier this year, when hearing opens at the Strafford Magistrates' Court in East London.
Dariye, whom the Metropolitan Police have also declared wanted and issued a warrant of arrest for "for jumping bail" will almost certainly forfeit his already frozen property, valued at £1.6 million.
A Met police detective told The Guardian at the weekend that the governor is likely to forfeit these assets, having "lost his fight for immunity" at a London Magistrates' Court, last month.
According to the Police source, once the court says he should forfeit them, "we'll send the money back to Nigeria. It's not our money. We don't need it. It's government money and it belongs to the people of Nigeria".
Although the money will be repatriated to Nigeria, "this will be done by the Solicitors engaged by the Nigerian government, Kendall Freeman. He's the one to formally make the request before it can be sent back".
The detective also disclosed that the British government will be most happy if the money is used properly and accounted for. "That's one of the things that the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, said in the Commission for Africa's reports".
Dariye at the weekend received Prof. Robert Gallo at the Rayfield Mansion government house yesterday when the latter, a co-discoverer of HIV infection, paid him a courtesy visit.
The governor's Chief of Staff, Mr. Alexander Molwus told The Guardian yesterday of the visit, amidst reports that Dariye might have been arrested.
Apart from the fact that he received Gallo, I have been with him this evening, I am just coming from his office where we discussed he said.
Refusing reports that the governor, was arrested. "What will it benefit those who are peddling these dangerous rumours, he said. I am disappointed that people will just say what is not the reality," Molwus said.