Disputed N2b MSME fund not paid to Jang’s account- EFCC witness
Posted by Grand News | 31 October 2018
Ex-Governor Jonah Jang.
A witness called by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mr. Uchenna Igwe, told a Jos High Court on Tuesday that the disputed N2 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME), was not paid into the personal account of former Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang.
The suit against the ex-governor and his accountant, Yusuf Gyang Pam, commenced yesterday as EFCC called two witnesses. The EFCC accused them of diverting the fund, which was meant to cushion the hardship of the citizenry under the Plateau State Small and Medium Development Enterprises (PLASMEDA).
Igwe, a Senior Manager with Zenith Bank, who headed the branch when the money was allegedly paid, said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) meant that the money be paid into Plateau State Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (PLASMEDA), but it was paid into Plateau Project account.
While being cross-examined by the defence counsel, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN), Igwe said: “When I noticed it, I immediately notified the state commissioner of finance and accountant-general. The accountant-general raised an instruction to move it into PLASMEDA account, and I complied on March 20, 2015.
“Another instruction came from the same accountant-general to the effect that the money be moved back to Plateau Project account on March 24, 2015, and that was done.” He disclosed that thereafter, the money was disbursed in tranches into various accounts, including State’s Central Salary Account, Office of the Secretary to the State Government (OSSG), Government House Administrative Account, and Plateau State House of Assembly Account.
Igwe added that before the N2 billion was paid into the Plateau Project Account, the balance in the account was N839, 398,474.39, adding that with the N2 billion, the account balance was raised to N2, 839,398,474.39.Another EFCC witness, Dr. Mudashiru Olaitan, Director, Development Finance Department with the CBN, represented by the EFCC Counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) also testified.
Olaitan explained that the CBN had to write to the state government when its monitoring team observed that the N2billion was not disbursed to the end users. Justice Longji adjourned the case till Wednesday today for continuation of trial.
The Guardian
Source: Grand News
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