Ozekhome said that there was no evidence that the money, which was a loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria for Plateau State Government, was stolen by Jang.
By Jeffrey Agbo
A Plateau State High Court on Friday discharged and acquitted ex-governor Jonah Jang of N6.3 billion corruption charges.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed 17-count charges of fraud against Jang and Yusuf Pam, a former cashier in the office of the Secretary to the State Government, since May 4, 2018.
In her ruling, Justice Christen Dabup said 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 said.
Reacting to the judgment, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), the defense counsel, said that the court found no merit whatsoever in any of the charges.
Ozekhome said that the charges filed against Jang were nothing but lies without proof that the former military governor of Benue and old Gongola diverted the said money to personal use.
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“So literally between May 4, 2018 and today September 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 (Jang) did not steal a Kobo from Plateau Government coffers.
“The court said that it did not find 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 the Central Bank of Nigeria for Plateau State Government, was stolen by Jang.
According to him, there were pieces of evidence 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.
EFCC counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, said that they would review the judgment and see whether there are grounds for appeal.