The High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State has adjourned the trial of senator Jonah David Jang by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to a date to be communicate to the Parties.
The adjustment is to enable the leading counsels from both parties who where unavoidably absent ,the prosecuting counsel Rotimi Jacob (SAN) counsel to (EFCC)and Chief Mike Ozehome (SAN) counsel to the 1st defendant to be physically present at the trial.
The trial of senator Jonah Jang which was adjourned to 16th and 17th February,2021, for hearing and presentation of witnesses was however stalled by the conspicuous absence of the prosecuting counsel Rotimi Jacob (SAN) who was represented by his junior lawyer Geofry Mathew counsel in court.
“My Principal who is the leading prosecuting counsel in this case has directed me to tell the court that, he could not attend today’s trial because there is and urgent matter that needs his attention at the apex (appeal) court in Lagos Nigeria” Mathew told the Court.
With a letter from Rotimi William (SAN) to the court, Mathew explained, “ the leading prosecutor in the matter would have loved to personally attend today’s trial to cross examine the witnesses, but he is unavailably absent due to the appeal court matter his attention was needed there”.
“As against this background my Lord ,my principal Chief Rotimi William has directed me to plead with the court for an adjournment, for a day convinient to your lordship to enable him to be physically and personally present.” he maintained.
Similarly, Counsel to the 1st defendant led by the former Commissioner for information Olivia Daziem(Esq), also apologized to the court on behalf of leading counsel to Jonah David Jang, (Chief Mike Ozehome) who she said ,is currently attending proceeding at the Appeal court in Lagos.
Daziem added that, the absence of Mike Ozehome is not intentional and so, aligned herself with the application of the prosecuting counsel for an adjournment subject to the convinence of the honorable court to enable the leading counsel attend be in court for the case continuation.
Counsel to the 2nd defendant Sunny Odeh also aligned themselves to the application of the prosecuting counsel for adjournment to enable both the leading counsels on the matter to be physically in attendance.
Odeh stressed the need for the leading counsel to start having confident on their juniors expecially when their principal are unavoidably not present in a particular matter.
The sitting judge, Justice Christina Dabup ,re-echo the need for leading counsels in a matter to continue having confident on the junior counsel which will not only enhance the speeding dispensation of justice, but will assist in training and teaching the junior lawyers the basic principles of law.
The case was adjourned to a later date to be communicated to both Parties.
Note, Jonah David Jang is a Former Governor Plateau State between 2007 and 2015, is alledged to have misappropriated over N6billion, two months to the end of his tenure as the Governor through Pam, who served as cashier in the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SGS).
The former senator who was first Arraigned before Justice Longji in 2018 has been facing trial until December, 2019 when he retired as judge and the case file reallocated to Justice Christine Dabup.
Recalled also that, the Court had on December 31st , 2019 ruled that, “Jang has case to answer, as he(Jang) vows to appeal ruling”
Jang had through his Counsel Edward Pwajok (SAN) filed a motion on “No case submission” before the court, meaning that the prosecution counsel, the EFCC have not proved their cases against Jang and the former Cashier in the office of the Secretary to the Government of Plateau State, Yusuf Pam which was adopted by the Counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacob during the sitting on the 17 December, 2019.
But when the matter came up, Justice Longji in his ruling, established that the Central Bank of Nigeria approved and release the sum of N2 billion for the improvement of primary education through the state projects account in Plateau state.
In justice Longji’s word, “It is unfortunate that today is my last sitting after 35 years of service. I will return the case file to the Hon. Chief Judge for reassignment to another Judge for determination.”
The Judge said the 1st and 2nd defendants are still on bail based on the previous bail conditions.
This did not go down well with counsel to Jang, Edward Pwajok SAN as he expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling and said they will appeal the ruling on the “No case submission.”
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