Ex-Gov. Jang acquitted of N6.3 billion fraud charges

The EFCC dragged the duo to court over 17 count charges bothering on diversion and misappropriation of state funds.

News Agency of Nigeria • September 2, 2022

Senator Jonah Jang outside a High Court in Jos with his lawyers

A Plateau High Court, on Monday in Jos, discharged and acquitted Senator Jonah Jang and Yususf Pam of N6.3 billion corruption charges proffered against them by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Mr Jang, a former governor of Plateau and Yusuf Pam, a former cashier in the office of the Secretary to the State Government have been standing trial since May 4, 2018.

The EFCC dragged the duo to court over 17 count charges bothering on diversion and misappropriation of state funds.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Christen Dabup, who delivered the judgement, said that the court did not find Messrs Jang and Pam guilty of any of the charges.

“The court did not find the accused persons guilty of any of the charges and they are hereby discharged and acquitted,” she said.

Reacting to the judgment, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), the defense counsel, said that the court found no merit whatsoever in any of the 17 count charges.

Mr Ozekhome said that EFCC charges were nothing but lies without proof that the former military governor of Benue and old Gongola diverted the said money for personal use.

“So literally between May 4, 2018 and today Sept. 2, this man who served the state meritoriously has been undergoing torturous and harrowing experience for about four and a half years of trial and tribulations.

“But today justice came out and the court found out that the former governor did not steal a kobo from Plateau Government coffers.

“The court said that it did not find with this man, whether in his personal account, whether in his office, whether with his children, whether with his wife, whether with his relations, whether with his friends.

“So where was this phantom money you said that this man stole?” he asked.

Mr Ozokhome said that there was no evidence that the money, which was a loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria taken by Plateau Government, was stolen by Jang.

According to him, there was evidence that the money was duly utilised with all the heads of government validated by the Plateau State House of Assembly under an enabling and extant law.

EFCC Counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, said that they were yet to receive a written copy of the judgement.

Mr Atolagbe said that they would review the judgment and see whether there were grounds for appeal.

(NAN)

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