Abuja – The trial of Nanle Dariye, son of former Plateau governor, Sen. Joshua Dariye, was on Friday stalled at the Federal High Court due to change of counsel.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on April 10, re-arraigned Dariye on a six-count amended charge of money laundering in the sum of N1.5 billion.

When the matter was called, counsel to Dariye, Mr Peter Erivwode said that he had just taken over the matter and would need time to peruse the case in order to give proper representation.

Dariye who was re-arraigned before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, entered a “not guilty’’ plea to all six-counts.

Justice Ojukwu adjourned the matter until June 11, 12 and 13 for commencement of trial.

NAN recalls that the EFCC had first arraigned Dariye on Feb. 27, on the same charges alongside Apartment le Paradis, a hotel where he was a director.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendant sometime in 2013, failed to report a cash transaction to the tune of about N1.5 billion which he received through the hotel’s account in one of the old generation banks.

It said that the amount was above the threshold of the N10 million permissible by law and that the hotel was also not registered as Designated Non-Financial Institution, (DNFI).

The agency said the offence contravened Section 5(1) (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 5 (b) of the same Act.

Dariye was subsequently admitted to bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in like sum. (NAN)