Judge Clears Jang of N6.3 Billion Corruption Charges

Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports

Senator Jonah Jang, a former governor of the state, was cleared of the N6.3 billion in corruption accusations brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission by a Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos yesterday (EFCC).

In addition, Mr. Yusuf Pam, a former cashier in the office of the Secretary to the State Government, who was prosecuted with Jang, was released and found not guilty by the trial court presided over by Justice Christy Dabup.
The EFCC charged Jang and Pam on 17 counts relating to criminal breach of trust, theft, and transfer of public funds to personal use in 2018.

Rotimi Jacobs, an attorney for the EFCC, claimed that Jang received a N2 billion loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) in the state, but diverted the money to another account, from which it was misappropriated. This was while Jang was serving as the state’s governor.

The commission also charged Jang with using a portion of the allegedly diverted public funds to pay back a N250 million bank-issued personal loan.
The EFCC further claimed that it discovered N10 million in Pam’s personal account, alleging that this sum was among the proceeds of the corrupt activities since Pam was the one who made cash withdrawals and delivered all of the plundered funds to the former governor.

However, Jang and Pam disputed the claim through their lead attorneys, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and Sunday Odey, respectively. They insisted that their clients were innocent and that the allegations were baseless and simply made up.
The trial judge rejected the accusations against the defendant in his ruling yesterday on the grounds that the prosecution had failed to establish its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

There is no question, according to the testimony, that the Plateau State Government requested and received N2 billion from the CBN for the distribution to the state’s small and medium-sized businesses. The elements of theft, conversion, and dishonesty must also be established simultaneously. The prosecution must demonstrate that there was misappropriation, conversion, and dishonesty in the conversion of the aforementioned sum.

“In the opinion of the court, the first defendant admitted borrowing the money for unmet budgetary needs; a note was raised, and he was instructed to borrow the money with the understanding that it would be repaid; it was not apparent that there was any malicious intent.”

“The court finds no proof of dishonesty to decide the matter in the prosecution’s favor. The burden of proof on these charges has not been met by the prosecution, hence the accused cannot be declared guilty as charged.
In response to the ruling, Jang asserted that truth always wins out over lies, regardless of how long they persist. He also referred to his trial-related experience as the prize of leadership.

Jang stated, “I hold no grudges towards anyone as I see anything I have gone through as the price I had to pay for choosing the path of leadership, in a statement he released shortly after the judgment. I praise God for seeing me through, and I appeal to all Plateau residents, including those of good will there, to refrain from sending negative vibes to our leaders.

“Let’s stick together and speak with one voice so that the Plateau can rise above its present situation and reclaim its rightful position of pride as the envy of other states. The Plateau, which we have always known and been proud of, has taken a back seat, but it is up to us to recover our state and transform it into the utopian place that our forefathers and previous leaders had in mind.

EFCC to Appeal the Decision

The decision releasing and clearing Jang and an ex-cashier named Pam will be appealed, according to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
This was revealed by the commission in a press release that was sent on its verified Twitter account yesterday afternoon and was signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren.
The EFCC declared that it had “immediately” started the procedures for an appeal.