Jonah Jang returns to court over N6.3bn alleged fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) on Monday returned to the state High Court in Jos to continue the case filed against former Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, over N6.3billion alleged fraud in the state.

Jang is being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency alongside Yusuf Pam, a former cashier in the Office of the Secretary to the state government on 17 counts.

Justice Dabup allowed the defendants to continue with the N200m and 100m bail earlier granted the accused respectively by Justice Daniel Longji and adjourned the case until May 26, 27 and 28, 2020.

The offences bordering on criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds were allegedly committed towards the end of Jang’s tenure as governor in 2015.

The PUNCH reports that the accused were first arraigned in March 2018 before Justice Daniel Longji, who retired in December last year after hearing the matter 34 times.

But the accused were re-arraigned in Jos on Monday following the re-assignment of the case to a new judge, Justice Christy Dabup.

At the commencement of the hearing, Counsel for the EFCC, Mr O A Atolabe, told the court that it was unfortunate that the case had to start afresh after closing its case earlier before the former judge.