The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reduced the jail term of the former governor of Taraba State, Reverend Jolly Nyame from 14 years to 12 years.
The court also fined the former governor the sum of N495million.
The lead judgment on Friday held that the lower court erred when it took it upon itself not to impose fine as such in counts 1, 2 and 6 that have to do with criminal breach of trust.
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Gudu, Abuja had earlier this year sentenced the former to 14 years imprisonment after being convicted of misappropriating N1.64 billion from the state’s treasury through shoddy stationery contracts which he awarded at the tail of his eight years administration in 2007.
Meanwhile the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday reduced the prison term of former Plateau State Governor, Joshua Dariye, from 14 years to 10 years.
The Appellate Court which reduced the prison term in a judgment in an appeal filed by Dariye, a serving Senator, held that the trial court erred in law when it handed down the maximum sentence on Dariye having convicted him on an offence of criminal breach of trust.
Justice Adebukola Banjoko of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Gudu, had on June 12, 2018 sentenced Dariye to 14yrs imprisonment having convicted him on criminal breach of trust and criminal misappropriation of public funds.
Justice Banjoko found the defendant guilty on 15 of the 23 criminal charges leveled against him by the Federal government.
Banjoko in addition held that the sentences which are without option of fine would run concurrently.
However, ruling on Dariye’s appeal against Justice banjoko’s judgment Thursday, the appellate court in its judgment delivered by Justice Stephen Adah, held that though sentencing is at the discretion of the judge, the court must however take into consideration laws guiding sentencing.
Justice Adah said, according to the provisions of the law, a first time offender cannot be handed down the maximum punishment on the offence of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation in which the appellant was convicted.
The Court of Appeal, similarly reduced the two years maximum sentence of the appellant for criminal misappropriation to one year.
