‘N6.3b fraud’: Jang has case to answer, says judge

A Plateau High Court on Tuesday held that former Governor Jonah Jang has a case to answer in an alleged N6.3 billion money laundering filed against him and Yusuf Pam,  a former cashier, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Daniel Longji, the presiding judge of the State High Court IV, who retired yesterday, made the declaration in his ruling on a “no case” submission by Jang and Pam through their counsel.

The duo had submitted that EFCC, the prosecution agency, must prove their 17-count charge of money laundering against them and so made a “ no case”  submission.  Justice Longji ruled: “Having gone through all processes of the ‘no case’ submission application and that of the prosecution, I am convinced that the prosecution has established a prima facie case against the two accused.

“This implies that former Governor Jonah Jang and Yusuf Pam have a case to answer.

“The money alleged to have been misappropriated, comes from different sources, especially the N4.2 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), meant for beneficiaries of small and medium scale enterprises, which the director of PLASSMEDAN has sent an account to the CBN.

“When that money was released to the state, it was not used for the purporse it was meant for , contrary to section 311 of the panel code,” he said.

Read Also: Plateau issues Executive Order on next level agenda

Justice Longji added: ”The first accused (Jonah Jang), has a case to answer, it is also my candid view that even the 2nd accused person, Yusuf Pam, has a case to answer.”

After the declarations, Longji said that unfortunately or fortunately for him, he has to transfer the case file to the office of the Chief Judge of the State, for reassigning “because I am retiring after today.”

Counsel to Jonah Jang, Mr Edward Pwajok (SAN), applied to the court to sustain the earlier bail granted to the accused persons.

Counsel to EFCC, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), represented by Mr Gideon, did not object to the application and commended the Judge for his wisdom in delivering a well considered ruling.  The judge, however, granted Pwajok’s oral application, and said, “all bail conditions hereby subsist”.