The Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State, has adjourned the re-arraignment and trial of two executives of Covenant Fadama Multi-purpose Cooperative Society, Okewole Dayo and Bishop Katung Jonas, over an alleged ₦178.8 million fraud.
Justice Sharon Ishaya postponed the case to May 29 and 30, 2025, respectively, following an amendment to the charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The defendants, along with the late Mamman Jatau, are facing a 23-count charge for conspiracy, obtaining by false pretense, and money laundering.
At Thursday’s hearing, defense counsels C.I. Nwogbo and G.G. Aji, informed the court that they had just received the amended charges filed against their clients and requested time for their clients to study the changes before entering a plea.
“My lord, we were only served the amended charge at 9 am today. We believe we ought to have received it earlier so that our clients could review the charges against them,” Nwogbo said, seeking an adjournment.
However, the EFCC prosecutor, Ibrahim Buba, explained that the only change in the charges was the removal of Dadin Kowa Microfinance Bank, whose licence had been revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
He argued that since the defendants had been aware of the previous charges for months, the court should proceed with the arraignment.
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“The reason for filing the amended charge a day before the scheduled arraignment was to confirm the status of Dadin Kowa Microfinance Bank with the CBN. Apart from this change, the charges remain largely the same,” Buba stated.
Justice Ishaya ruled that arraignment is a crucial part of a fair trial, and the defendants must be given sufficient time to prepare their defense.
She therefore adjourned the case to May 29 and 30, 2025, for re-arraignment and the commencement of the trial.
The EFCC alleges that the defendants lured unsuspecting investors into their fraudulent cooperative society, then funneled the proceeds through various banks before withdrawing the funds via proxies to acquire properties in Jos and Kaduna.
The case will now resume in late May as the legal process unfolds.
