By; BUHARI B. BELLO, Jos
Family of 93 years old Pa Dariye Defwan, father of former Governor of Plateau State, Mr. Joshua Dariye currently serving jail term, has raised concerns over the special treatment given to Mr. Jetro Ngusen the alleged sponsor of the kidnap saga by Jos Correctional Centre attacked recently by yet to be identified personalities.
According to them, all the seven accused persons were in uniform except Jetron Ngusen who was not seen wearing the same uniform with his colleagues who are all standing trial.
However, it has been gathered that one of the first defendants (accused) has escaped during the Jos jailbreak and is still on the run.
The defendants, Abubakar Mohammed, Titus Ezekiel, Sunday Ibrahim, Mangut Suwa, Jetro Ngusen, Dauda Isa, who played key roles are from the same village with Pa Dariye, Orop, in Bokkos LGA of Plateau State.
Mr. Mangut Suwa alleged that Jetro Ngusen recruited them for the job to kill Pa Dariye when the matter came for the continuation of the hearing before, Honourable Justice Goefrey Kamyal at State High Court West of Mines on Monday January 17, 2022.
The prosecutor’s counsel, Barr. Jacob Longden, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), said that one of the defendants escaped during the recent jailbreak so there is need for a little adjustment from the prosecution.
Late Pa ,Dariye’s son, Daniel Dariye PW1 told the court that they received information that the father was kidnapped by unknown gunmen at their hometown in Bokkos LGA and he immediately rushed to the village upon hearing the news.
According to him, the kidnappers stormed the residence at about 12 midnight and whisked their biological father to an unknown destination, so while waiting a call came demanding a ransom of 100 million Naira and later reduced to N50 million and finally, 10 million Naira ransom.
He explained further that the caller kept giving them instructions on how to deliver the money in Shendam LGA, adding that they traveled to Shendam LGA as well as Ibi Local Government Area of Taraba State to deliver N10 million ransom to the kidnappers of their late father who later killed him and buried him in a shallow grave.
The two witnesses, Daniel Dariye and Luka Haruna told the court that the kidnappers used mobile number, 0902904746 in contacting the family, especially Daniel Dariye as he said the voice of the caller sounded like that of a Fulani.
They emphasized that they arrived at the destination around midnight and they were heavily armed with weapons, wearing masks, so they could not recognize them.
They noted that from June 17 to 26, 2020, the late Dariye was held incommunicado for eight days; kept in a very unsanitary condition, and fed in a manner not befitting of an elder citizen of his age.
“A ransom of N10million was paid to the kidnappers. Rather than let the old man go home, they went on to murder him in cold blood allegedly on the orders of their sponsor, Mr. Jetro Ngusen 57 years, also a native of Orop in Bokkos LGA.
Jetro earlier, confessed that, “I sent them, but the children went and messed up.”
Justice Goefrey Kamyal adjourned the matter to January 20, 2022 for the continuation of hearing for quick dispensation
