THE Court of Appeal has reduced the 14 years imprisonment sentence handed to the former Governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, to 10 years.

Dariye was sentenced to seven years imprisonment each on two counts of corruption charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He was accused of helping himself to Plateau State’s Ecological Funds while he was Governor of the State.

At the time he was convicted in June this year, Dariye was a serving Senator representing Plateau Centra Senatorial District.

But on Friday, the Appeal Court held that Dariye, being a first time offender, ought not to have received the maximum punishment for the crime of which he was convicted.

The court ruled that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) stipulates that a first time offender should be given a lighter sentence, hence it reduced the 14-year jail sentence to 10 years, five years each for the two of the charges.

The jail terms will be served concurrently.