Jonah Jang under EFCC radar, receives notice on 12 corruption charges

For his alleged misappropriation of over N6.3 billion, former Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang on Monday received  a trial notice on 12 charges from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The cash was allegedly embezzled about two months to the end of his tenure as governor in 2015. But no date has been fixed for his arraignment.

Jang, a serving senator, allegedly embezzled some special funds released to the state by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

A fact-sheet, obtained by TheNation, said in part: “In one of the counts, the former governor, among other things, allegedly pocketed N2 billion released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for disbursement to small and medium enterprises in the state under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Funds (MSMEDF) just a month before the expiration of his tenure in April 2015.

“Jang was also said to have abused his office as the governor by collecting money to the tune of N4.3 billion from the state coffers through the cashier of the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Yusuf Gyang Pam.

Pam, who is also charged along with Jang, was said to have corruptly used his office for personal enrichment to the tune of N11.5 million.

“The charge has been served on the former governor on Monday but no date has been fixed yet for arraignment.”

It was not immediately clear if Jang will face a separate trial over the ongoing probe by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

ICPC is investigating Jang for alleged N5.6 billion fraud while in office.

The ICPC fact-sheet added:  “Evidence before the commission so far indicates that Senator Jang allegedly committed the offences in March 2015.

“He allegedly received N2 billion in cash illegally out of the money which was allocated to micro, small and medium enterprises, under the pretext of a loan to be spent on ‘classified expenditure’.

“Jang again allegedly received N400 million illegally of funds meant for Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

“He also allegedly caused a former commissioner of finance in the state to illegally transfer the sum of N3.2 billion of SUBEB funds to the project account of the Ministry of Finance.”