EFCC calls more witnesses in Jang’s N6.3bn fraud trial

Andrew Orolua, Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday presented more witnesses in the N6. 3 billion ongoing fraud trial of former Governor of Plateau state, Sen. Jonah Jang and Yusuf Gyang Pam, a cashier in the office of the secretary to the state government who testified against the duo.

The two defendants are being prosecuted on a 12-count charge bordering on misappropriation of N6.3 billion state funds and are further alleged to have been complicit in the fraudulent diversion of special funds released by the Central Bank for disbursement to Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in the state, under the micro, small and medium enterprises development funds, two months to the end of Jang’s tenure in 2015.

Testifying as a prosecution witness, Tapchi Yakubu Tashok, a staff of Zenith Bank, Jos main branch, while being led in evidence by Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), identified the second defendant as the cashier at the cabinet office, who normally makes huge withdrawals on behalf of the state government.

“Once there is no much cash available to accommodate the withdrawal, they source from other branches and sometimes have to seek approval to withdraw from the CBN.

“If the withdrawal involves a huge sum, we go to the CBN to move it with the bullion van from the CBN to our branch; we offload and ascertain that the cash is complete, we then go ahead and debit the transaction while he signs.

“He mostly usually comes around with a Hilux van and escort to convey the cash from the loading bay,” the witness said.

She further testified in her evidence-in-chief that the said withdrawals were made on April 7, 8, 9, and sometimes around March 2015.

Under cross-examination by Jang’s counsel, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), she told the court that she never had any dealings with the first defendant and had never seen him during any such withdrawals.

When asked if she knew how many bank accounts the Plateau state government operated, she denied having such information.

The defence thereafter, sought to tender her statement as evidence, which was admitted by the court as exhibit D4.

The prosecution then presented another witness, Boyi Sauki Kiakau, the state accountant general during the tenure of the former governor.

Led in evidence by Jacobs, he told the court that the manager of Zenith Bank told him about the credit of N2 billion and demanded that he provides the account details that has been opened for the said money.

He said: “He authorized him in writing to transfer the said sum after he was confronted with an authorization letter and directive from the governor that the money be transferred to the project one account.

“I received a directive from the governor through the commissioner for finance to borrow the funds to finance some classified expenditure.

I also received another approval from the office of the SSG through the same commissioner to release the said funds and I thereafter, raised a mandate to the bank to remit the N2 billion to the office of the SSG and the money was remitted in tranches.”

Another prosecution witness, Habila Dung, during his evidence-in-chief, described the role he played regarding the N2 billion meant for the development of micro – finance banks in the state and how the money was diverted for other purposes by the Jang administration.

Dung, who served in various capacities under Jang, told the court about a memorandum of understanding between the state government and the CBN, adding that a request of N2 billion was made by the state government which was to be remitted into the state government project one account.

He added that: “The signatories to that account were the then accountant general of the state, Boyi Kiakau and the then Director of Treasury, Yang Duru. Mudashiru Olaitan, director of finance of the central bank was not comfortable remitting the money into the account.

“I told the then commissioner for finance and we went to the governor in company of the director, Plateau Investment and Property Development Company (PIPC) under which the said money was approved.”

According to Dung, he later gathered from the ministry of finance that the governor had approved for the money be borrowed for urgent state matters and would be refunded when money was available.

The case has been adjourned to April 9 and 10 for continuation of hearing.