Alleged N6.2bn Fraud: Defendant Contradicts Self in Trial-Within-Trial

April 27, 2022

The trial of former Plateau State governor, Senator Jonah David Jang and a former cashier in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government (OSSG), Yusuf Pam before Justice C. L. Dabup of Plateau State High Court, Jos, continued on Tuesday with a trial-within-trial.

According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in a statement, the second defendant, Yusuf Pam, under cross examination by the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, contradicted himself over claims that his statements were extracted under duress.

At the last sitting, Pam had told the court that between January 16, 2017 and May 2018 while in the custody of the EFCC, he was denied access to his phone, his lawyer, and his drugs.

He further said that during interrogation, the Investigating Officer, Musa Sunday slapped and harassed him severally until he was compelled to write what Musa wanted to hear.

However, while cross examining the defendant on Tuesday, Jacobs recalled that the defendant, while being prosecuted before Justice Daniel Longji, never mentioned that he was harassed or denied access to his lawyer or drugs.