Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit asking the Federal High Court in Lagos to “stop the Senate President Bukola Saraki from paying former Plateau State governor, Senator Joshua Dariye N14.2 million monthly allowances while he serves out a 10-year prison sentence for corruption because such payment violates Nigerian law and international obligations.”
According to SERAP’s lawsuit, Mr Dariye is still receiving the N750,000 salary and N13.5 million monthly allowances from the Nigeran Senate six months after his conviction. In June, an FCT high court convicted Dariye for diverting N1.162 billion state ecological funds while he was governor. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison, which was later reduced to 10 years by a court of appeal in Abuja. Dariye is said to have been paid N85.5 million as allowances since his conviction.
Joined as Defendants in the suit are: Mr Dariye and the National Assembly Service Commission.
In the suit number FHC/L/CS/2146/18 filed last Friday, SERAP argued: “Mr Saraki and the National Assembly Service Commission are trying to override Nigerian law and the judgment of our court by continuing to pay Mr Dariye’s allowances while he serves out a 10-year prison term and unable to sit and perform the functions of a senator. This action undermines the rule of law and is a great moral failure because it sends a message that corruption pays—it’s the opposite of Nigerian Constitutional principles and international obligations.”
The organisation also argued: “Stopping the Defendants would ensure that only sitting and serving senators are worthy of drawing salaries and allowances from the public treasury. It would also further the public interest and general public confidence in the government it elects. The interest in public confidence is greater than the convicted person’s interest in continuing to receive allowances while serving his sentence for corruption in Kuje prison.”
The 15-page lawsuit read in part: “Mr Saraki and the National Assembly Service Commission should be immediately restrained from unlawfully paying salaries and allowances to Mr Dariye who is serving jail term. Restraining them would send a clear message to Nigerian elected officials that corruption does not pay and contribute to promoting accountability and fostering public trust and confidence in Nigeria’s democracy, the rule of law and the governance system.”
“By paying Mr Dariye’s allowances while in prison, Mr Saraki and the National Assembly Service Commission have destroyed the efficacy and purpose of Mr Dariye’s conviction and have brought the rule of law and administration of justice into disrepute. SERAP and the public are alarmed by the action of Mr Saraki and the National Assembly Service Commission and they ought to be restrained by this Honourable Court.”
“Mr Saraki and the National Assembly Service Commission should not be allowed to continue to make a mockery of the rule of law, our process of adm…
[11:37, 12/23/2018] Editor Boss: Fans to K1on $2million fraud allegation: Tell us why your son was arrested
Says ,My son not a Fraudster – K1 cries out
Fuji music star, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal popularly known as K1 de Ultimate, has said that his son, Sultan, is a member of the group of nine Nigerians reportedly arrested for a $2 million fraud in the United States of America but that he is not a fraudster as claimed.
K1 had through his publicist Kunle Rashidi who is also the publisher of City Rovers, an online platform, tried to dispel the story which is still trending on facebook saying that his son, Sultan, was arrested in the U.S but not for fraud. The release, however, maintained that there is a likely mix-up.
According to a social media post published on Saturday, December 22, 2018, Sultan Omogbadebo Anifowoshe is among the defendants in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Chicago 18 days prior.
Sultan is reportedly one of the characters illegally dealing in “romance scams” and “mystery shopper” tricks.
He got nabbed in a crime investigation named Operation Gold Phish according to the post.
His dad, KWAM 1, had revealed that he had been released on bail and awaiting a court date.
Below is the statement made available by K1’s publicist, Rashidi:
“Our attention has been drawn to the news circulating that Sultan, K1’s son, was arrested alongside five other people in the US over two million Dollars fraud.
“There is no doubt that he was among those that were arrested but what is however not true is that he is a fraudster. We can confidently say that he was not in anyway involved in the crime, which explains the reason why he was the only person that was released on bail.
“At present, Sultan is back at home waiting for the next date of the case where we believe he will be set free eventually.”
