N6.3bn Fraud: Court Reserves Judgement in EFCC, Jang’s Case

*Groups protest Dariye’s continued incarceration despite pardon

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

Plateau State High Court, has reserved judgement in a case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), seeking to prosecute former Governor Jonah Jang of the state and a former cashier with the state government, Mr. Yusuf Pam, over an alleged N6.3 billion misappropriation of fund.
The trial judge, Justice Christy Dabup, said the date would be communicated to the parties involved in the suit.

The court arrived at the decision after the prosecution and the defence counsels adopted their written addresses.
Lead counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) had yesterday brought two applications, asking the court to grant it leave to appeal an earlier ruling by the court against the anti-graft agency during the trial within trial.

But the counsel to the second defendant, Mr. Sunday Odey, opposed the applications and urged the court to go ahead with the business of the day since the applications had no bearing with the adoption of their final addresses, which was slated for the court’s proceedings.

After a heated argument between Jacobs and Odey, counsel to the EFCC eventually conceded to the defence counsel that the business of the day which was the adoption of written addresses should go on as slated.

Lead counsel to Jang, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), urged the court to dismiss all the charges against his client and set him free, because the prosecution had not proven their case beyond reasonable doubts.

But Jacobs said, “I did not go against my Lordship’s order because  no such order for specific number of page for written address was given by the court.
Meanwhile, a coalition of Free-Dariye Groups, yesterday, staged a protest in Jos, and raisedthe alarm that over three months after presidential pardon had been granted him, former Governor of Plateau State, Chief Joshua Dariye, has continued to be held incarcerated.

Addressing a press conference in Jos, the groups led by Rhoda Sanda, said they were worried that months after President Mohammadu Buhari on behalf of Council of State had granted Dariye a state pardon, “the necessary authorities concerned to effect his release from prison are still dragging their feet over the matter, despite the state of health of the former governor.”

Calling on Governor Simon Lalong to intervene, the group said, “Your prompt intervention in this regard will dispel all manner of insinuations surrounding his continued incarceration and probably unravel why he is still being kept there.”