Yakubu Wuyep, Jos
Efforts by the lead defence counsel to secure bail conditions for Senator Jonah Jang and another accused person in an alleged corruption case at the High Court 4, Jos, Plateau State, failed as presiding judge, Justice Daniel Longji, ruled that he could not grant him bail even though he has a personal relationship with him.
The Judge ordered Senator Jang and Yusuf Gyang Pam to be taken to the state branch of the Nigeria Prison Service for one week, pending the determination of the bail applications before the court .
The high profile suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, against the former Governor Jonah Jang, now Senator representing Plateau Northern Senatorial District of Plateau state on Wednesday came up for hearing and presentation of bail conditions.
The former governor is being accused of alleged money laundering and misappropriation of SURE-P to the tune of N6.3 billion few weeks to the exist from office The accused persons were arraigned for diversion and misappropriation of the public funds main for the development of projects in the state.
The prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, told the court based on their application dated May 14, urged the court to hear the 12 charges on the arraigned two accused persons.
However, when the 12 changes were read to the two accused persons they all pleaded not guilty to the accusations of frauds dated March 26, 2008 whereby the sum N2 billion release by SURE-P for the benefits of small, soft loan to small enterprises was diverted and misappropriation under section 315 of the northern Penal Code.
Counsel to the defence, Robert Clark, SAN, said the application for bail was to reenforcement his commitment to speedy trial to be applied for the two applications for bail dated May 14, 2018 which was replaced with the earlier applications dated May 8, 2018 filed on May 9, 2018, for the first and second accused persons.
However, the counsel to Independent Crime And Prosecution Council, ICPC, has applied to the court to strike out it application which is consider a duplication and allow the EFCC to go ahead .
The Prosecuting Counsel to ICPC, Barr. Adeshino Ranee prayed to withdraw his application after discussing with the EFCC to resolve their stand.
The presiding Judge ,Justice Daniel Longji granted the application by striking out the case brought by ICPC prosecution counsel.
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