How N10m was withdrawn 31 times in a day under Jang administration

The
trial of a former Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang, continued
Wednesday with a prosecution witness, Emmanuel Kpanja, giving details of
how about N2 billion was withdrawn at various times from the Plateau
State Government’s account.

Ex-Governor Jonah Jang

Jang is standing trial on a 12-count charge along with Yusuf Pam, a
cashier, for an alleged N6.3 billion fraud before Justice Daniel Longji
of a Plateau State High Court. Jang is accused of abusing his office and
misappropriating state funds.

Kpanja, a staff of Zenith Bank Plc, Bukuru branch, Jos, is testifying as the third witness.

Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Kpanja
narrated how in 2007, the account of the Plateau State Office was opened
along with that for the Office of the Secretary to the State
Government, OSSG Special Cabinet Savings Account, which he became the
Relationship Manager.

In his examination-in-chief, Kpanja gave details of how several sums
of money were withdrawn from the state government’s account.

He said: “On 21 January 2015, N10 million was withdrawn 31 times
along with N7.3 million and N3.4 million amounting to N310 million, and
the following day, January 22, N10 million was withdrawn 16 times along
with N5 million twice, amounting to N170 million. And on January 30, N10
million was withdrawn 21 times from Plateau State Government Project 1
Account on same day amounting N210 million.

“On March 17, 2015 there was a withdrawal of N8. 5 million and N10
million withdrawn 26 times making N268.5 million all cheques collected
by Yusuf Pam.

“On March 16, 2015 there were series of transactions involving
several deposits made to the account two deposits of N45 million, N75
million, N8 million, N17 million, N100 million, N165 million and all the
credits came from Plateau State Government Account.

“On March 20, 2015 N150 million was withdrawn seven times totalling
over N1 billion also received on the account from the Plateau State
Government Account, and they were all withdrawn by Pam on the same day.

“There was also a memo dated April 2, 2015 for N150 million being request for classified expenditure from the Government Office.

“On May 26, 2016 there was a further withdrawal of N10 million
withdrawn 10 times making a debit of N100 million by Pam and the account
was closed after the letter addressing all ministries, departments and
parastatal to implement the Treasury Single Account, TSA by the current
administration.”

Earlier in the course of proceedings, when Jacobs sought to tender in
evidence, the account opening forms and letter of identification for
OSSG Cabinet and Special Services Account with Zenith Bank, and OSSG
Overhead Account with same bank, counsel for Jang, Mike Ozekhome, SAN
objected to the admissibility of the documents, arguing that they were
not made by Kpanja.

Justice Longji, however, overruled the objection, noting that the
argument that the person who signed the document must appear in court
does not have any legal backing as stipulated by the Evidence Act.

“To say that we should not admit the documents in court because the
witness is not the maker of the document, is like saying we should throw
away the baby with the baby napkin because the napkin was soiled, and
so I hereby admit the documents as Exhibits B23 and B24,” the trial
judge held.