- Jang will appear in Court on Wednesday – EFCC lawyer
Gyang Bere, Jos
PDP supporters in Plateau State staged a peaceful protest Monday at the premises of of the State High Court in Jos, as council to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Rotimi Jacobs said indicted former Governor Jonah David Jang was not in court due to logistical challenges.
Jang, who is the current Senator representing Plateau North, was detained by the EFCC in Abuja on Monday, May 7 for alleged misappropriation of N6.3 billion during his tenure as Governor of Plateau State between 2007-2015.
Jacobs, testifying before Justice Daniel Longji at the State High Court in Jos, said that Jang and seven others are been arraigned on a 10-count charges, raging from financial misappropriation to conspiracy, among other charges.
The prosecutor said the accused persons will appear in court on Wednesday as arrangements are being made to overcome logistical problems.
The case was adjourned to Wednesday May 16 to arraign Jang, and for proper hearing.
Meanwhile PDP youths demonstrated in Jos, the state capital, protesting that Jang had not been arraigned in court, saying that the senator’s detention by the EFCC for eight days without bail is in violation of his fundamental human rights.
Mr Bitrus Boyi, who led the protesters carrying placards with such inscriptions as, ‘EFCC Free Jang’, ‘Jang The Only Man To Defeat Buhari’, among others, said Sen. Jang was being targeted because of his ambition to contest the 2019 presidential election against President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We will stand with Jang in 2019 for the Presidential Election. His arrest will not stop his ambition as he is the only man we have discovered to have the charisma and the political will to stem the Fulani herdsmen killings in the country,” the protest spokesman said.
“To the best of our knowledge, Jang is not guilty of the accusation leveled against him. If not, what has delayed the EFCC from arraigning him in court for the last 8 days? His arrest is politically motivated, but those who are doing this are only boosting his political popularity.”
The protesters comprised a number of physically challenged persons, who described the action of the EFCC against Jang as inhumane and a ploy by the leadership of the ruling APC party.
Meanwhile, there was a counter demonstration by supporters of the All Progressive Congress (APC), who urged the EFCC to carry out their constitutional responsibility and recover all state funds allegedly embezzled by the former governor.
The APC youths, led by Mr Magaji Jacob, said they will resist any attempt by any individual to intimidate the EFCC from carrying out their responsibility of investigating criminal acts committed by the PDP government in the state.
The youths, who carried placards reading: ‘Jang Please Return Plateau State N3 Billion Naira’, ‘SUBEB Funds’, ‘Bring Back Our AMCON Funds’, ‘Where Is Our N2 Billion CBN /SME Funds You Collected’, ‘EFCC Is Doing A Great Job’, said they will continue to stand for justice.
APC supporter, Pam Datiri, who spoke in Jos, said the EFCC should be commended for carrying out the investigations that led to the discovery of the alleged embezzlement.
“We urge the EFCC to leave no stone unturned to make sure that monies stolen from the state are returned. We commend the EFCC on their plan to arraign Jang in court, so that when he is found guilty, justice should prevail,” the counter-protester said.
Protesting against the detention of a treasury looter? Wonderful!