Ex-Governor Jonah Jang granted bail

A former governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, left jail on Thursday after the traditional ruler of Jos, Gyang Buba, who is also the chairman of the state’s council of chiefs, stood as his surety. The State High Court, which last week Wednesday remanded Mr Jang at the Jos prisons, on Thursday granted him bail in the sum of N100 million. He was asked to provide a surety who must be a first class paramount ruler and also deposit his international passport with the court. The surety was also required to deposit his international passport with the court. The court also granted bail to the second accused person, Yusuf Pam, in the sum of N50 million. After ruling on the bail applications of the two accused persons, the trial judge, Daniel Longji, said there would be accelerated hearing of the trial which he fixed for July 17,18 and 19. The Gbong Gwom Jos, Mr Buba, is the highest traditional ruler of the Berom speaking people of Plateau State, to which Mr Jang belongs. After securing the bail, Mr Buba left the court premises with Mr Jang in the official car of the traditional ruler. The former governor who is the serving senator representing Plateau North Senatorial district, was charged alongside a former cashier in the office of the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Pam, with diverting N6.3 billion belonging to the Plateau State government while serving as governor of the state. Speaking in an interview with journalists at the court premises, counsel to Mr Jang, Robert Clarks, said he was satisfied with the bail conditions. He said his legal team was prepared to handle the case and get justice for the accused. On his part, a counsel to EFCC, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, said his clients were not against the bail. EFCC had detained Mr Jang for nine days in Abuja before arraigning him in court on May 14 when the judge said he should be kept in prison. The former governor was on administrative bail of the EFCC since December 2017. The former governor was reported to have paid fines to secure freedom for some detainees at the Jos Prisons, and also paid part of the accumulated electricity bill and helped restore light at the prison. There was wild jubilation among his supporters after the bail, as almost all his former political appointees attended the court sitting on Thursday.]]>