EFCC Witness Exonerates Sen. Jang From Fraud Allegations, As Counsel Moves To Amend Charges.
By Moses Gbande
Jonah Jang, the immediate past Senator representing Plateau North in the National Assembly, is standing trial over allegations of gross financil irregularities and diversions of state funds during his tenure as Governor of Plateau state.
EFCC’s Witness number twelve (12) was called to testify on the matter and having identified herself as Mrs. Mary Anthony Bawa, former Director of finance and supplies at the Universal Basic Education Board, PSUBEB, she proceeded to answer questions from the perscuting counsel, Barr. Ritimi Daniel (SAN) during the continuation of trials.
She said she worked as civil servant plateau state Ministry of Finance before the Accountant General of the state posted her to the state Universal Basic Education Board to carry out her schedule of duties including processing, payment and keeping of documents, among others.
She explained that during her services at PSUBEB, which span between March, 2015 to August of the same year, records made available to her indicated that the board was operating various accounts with UNOIN BANK Plc, ECO – BANK and Zenith Banks respetively.
According to her, ” the accounts were been operated for various reasons which were for
a Matching Grant Account, co-funded by federal and state governments for capacity building of staff.
“Myself and the chairman were signatories of the accounts. The account with the Zenith Bank was for the payment of salaries of primary school Teachers and was being funded by the seventeen (17) local governments in the state.
“In March, when I came in, I mate my colleague who handed over the records to me which shows that the sum of N2. 079bn was monies borrowed by the state government.
“Another letter of request was given to the chairman to borrow N900m, but the chairman of the board approved N750m”.
On showing the Exhibit P. 45, which was a request for another loan of N1bn, the witness told the court that, the board, through the chairman approved N400m on grounds that the board was running short of funds to pay salaries of teachers”.
Our Correspondent, reports that records identified by the witness, evidently shows that there were bank transactions of, the sum of N2.079, 825,837.89, that were paid to the Plateau state government account on 8th May, 2014 and was later paid into the Matching Grant Account on the 18th day of June, 2014 and was later withdrawn on the 23rd day of June, 2014 by the Plateau state project account.
However, on cross examination, the lead counsel to (Sen. Jonah Jang), Barr. Edward Pwajok sought to know whether the monies in question were channeled to the defendant’s Account, where the witness said, ” No!”.
In her subsequent answers to the numerous questions put to her, She maintained that in most of the monies requested, based on her knowledge, the board meeting was normally held before such monies were approved, even as she pointed out that , at no point she opposed to the approval of such requests, believing they were ligitimately demanded for.
“I was at PSUBEB on the 30th April, 2015 when the request for a loan of N1bn was made. There was a meeting of the board which approved the N400m out of the one billion naira requested. I was part of the meeting that gave the approval.
“The amount was meant for the Plateau state government and not the First Defendant, (Jang). And the money was paid in the Plateau State Project One Account and not, (Jonah Jang), but I wouldn’t know what the money was meant for.
“All the monies mentioned, from N2.079bn, N750m and N400m were borrowed by the state government and there was no duration or period given for the repayment of the monies and I wouldn’t know if the monies were spent”.
“There was a Matching Grant Account which is co-funded by federal and state governments. The account was for capacity building of staff of the board, and myself and the chairman were signatories of the accounts.
“The account with the Zenith Bank was for the payment of primary school Teachers and was being funded by the seventeen (17) local governments in the state.
“In March when I came in, I mate my colleague who handed over the records showing the sum of N2. 079bn, as monies borrowed by the state government. Another letter of request was given to the chairman to borrow N900m, but the chairman of the board approved N750m”.
On showing to her Exhibit P. 45, which was a request for another loan of N1bn, the witness told the court that, the board, through the chairman approved N400m on grounds that the board was running short of funds to pay salaries of teachers”.
It was however evident, according to the tracking records of the bank transactions that, the sum of N2.079, 825,837.89 was actually paid to the Plateau state government account on 8th May, 2014 and was later paid into the Matching Grant Account on the 18th day of June, 2014 and was withdrawn on the 23rd day of June, 2014 by the Plateau state project account.
Meanwhile, on cross examination, Counsel to (Sen. Jonah Jang), Barr. Edward Pwajok sought to know whether the monies in question were channeled to the defendant’s Account, where she said No.
On providing answers to the numerous questions put to her, She maintained that in most of the monies requested, and in her knowledge, the board meeting were held before such monies we’re approved, and that had at no point opposed the approval of such request, believing they were ligitimately demanded for.
“I was at PSUBEB on the 30th April, 2015 when the request for a loan of N1bn was made. There was a meeting of the board which approved the N400m out of the one billion requested. I was part of the meeting that gave thw approval.
“The amount was meant for the Plateau state government and not First Defendant, (Jang). And the money was paid in the Plateau State Project One Account and not, Jonah Jang, but I wouldn’t know what the money was meant for.
“All the monies mentioned, from N2.079bn, N750m and N400m were borrowed by the state government and there was no duration or period given for the repayment of the monies and I wouldn’t know if the monies were spent”.
Meanwhile, Counsel to the EFCC, Ritimi Daniel applied to file an application to make amend to the agency’s changes. Other counsels did not opposed to the application and asked for a time to enable them study the content of the application and respond appropriately, pointing the fact that bthey were only served Monday morning.
The presiding Judge, Justice Daniel Longji, however adjourned to October 10th 2019 for the continuation of the matter.
Nasarawa Reporters 