- Ex-governor of Plateau state, Jang, sued EFCC for allegedly detaining him for over 72 hours
- Jang is reportedly seeking N500 million in damages from the EFCC
- The EFCC reportedly slammed a 12-count charge against Jang but yet to arraign him
The legal team of Jonah Jang, a former governor of Plateau state, who is allegedly in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has sued the commission for detaining him for over 72 hours after he turned himself in.
Premium Times reports that the senator, who turned himself in after he was declared wanted by the EFCC over fraud-related charges, is also seeking N500 million in damages from the EFCC.
NAIJ.com gathered that David Dusu, the lawmaker’s legal representative, stated this Wednesday, May 9 in Jos, during a press conference.
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He said: “We have approached an Abuja High Court against EFCC to immediately release our client (Jonah Jang), we also demand N500 million compensation for his illegal detention in EFCC custody.”
Dusu added that Jang has been on administrative bail from the EFCC since December 2017, who also seized his international passport to prevent him from jumping bail.
The lawyer said Jang is a responsible Nigerian who had held public positions and who should not be treated as a common criminal.
He explained that his client, Jang, had earlier sued the minister of information and culture Lai Mohammed for including his name in a controversial looters’ list recently published by the federal government. The list had claimed that Jang, a senator representing Plateau North, stole N12 billion from the state’s treasury while serving as governor.
According to Jang’s legal team, the detained senator was on medication before his arrest by the EFCC.
It was gathered that the EFCC has slammed a 12-count charge against Jang, at the Plateau state high court since Friday, May 4, but is yet to arraign him.
The anti-graft agency said the former governor allegedly misappropriated over N6.3 billion while in office.
Premium Times, however, reports that the EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, did not return calls or reply text messages seeking to find out why the senator is still being detained.
Meanwhile, executives of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state engaged in an altercation over Jang’s ordeal.
Commenting on the arrest, the state chairman of the PDP, Damishi Sango, said the way Jang was being treated by the EFCC was unfair since he had already turned himself in.
Sango, who made the party’s position known Tuesday, May 8, said due diligence in arresting and prosecuting the former governor was not duly carried out by the EFCC
He said: “While the appropriate agencies of government are at liberty to discharge their statutory and constitutional mandates, due diligence, respect for due process and the rule of law must be followed.”
But the state publicity secretary of the APC, Chindo Dafat, in an interview with Premium Times on Wednesday, May 9, said the arrest and prosecution of Jang were long overdue.
Dafat also faulted claims by Sango that due process was not followed in detaining Jang.
He said: “Nobody should be seen to be above the law. The EFCC is doing its legitimate duties, none should interfere in the affairs of the agency. If they are holding Jang since Monday, it should be for a purpose. Justice must be seen to be done to all, irrespective of whatever status.”
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NAIJ.com previously reported that the EFCC on Monday, May 7, served Jang a trial notice to notify him of his impending trial over an alleged fraud of N6.3 billion.
Jang allegedly embezzled some special funds released to the state by the Central Bank of Nigeria during his tenure as governor, according to a fact sheet obtained by The Nation.
Jang is already being investigated over an alleged N5.6 billion fraud while in office by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
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Source: Naija.ng
