Ex-Plateau Gov Jonah Jang.
A Plateau State High Court, on Friday in Jos, discharged and acquitted former governor of the state, Sen. Jonah Jang of N6.3 billion corruption charges proffered against him by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Also discharged and acquitted alongside Jang, is Mr Yusuf Pam, a former cashier in the office of the Secretary to the State Government.
The duo had been standing trial since May 4, 2018 over the alleged offenses, when the EFCC arraigned them on a 17-count charge bordering on diversification and misappropriation of state funds.
Delivering judgment, Justice Christy Dabup, held that the court did not find 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 ordered.
Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), the counsel to Jang, while reacting to the judgment, said that the court found no merit whatsoever in any of the 17 count charges.
According to him, the EFCC’s charges were nothing but lies without proof.
He said that Jang, a former military governor of Benue and old Gongola states, never diverted the said money to 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 any money 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.
Ozekhome said that there was no evidence that the money which was a loan from Central Bank of Nigeria was taken by Plateau Government was stolen by Jang.
He said that on the contrary there were evidences 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.
Also speaking, EFCC Counsel, Mr Oluwaleke Atolagbe said that the prosecution had yet to receive a written copy of the judgement.
He added that they would review the judgment and see whether there were grounds for appeal.
