High Court Extends Popular Bishop's Bail in N11.5b Fraud Case

Posted by Odinaka on Thu 04th Feb, 2016 - tori.ng

For taking part in defrauding hundreds of customers of a financial institution, a high court has extended the bail granted to a bishop for being involved in the criminal act.

The bail given to the Bishop of the Maranatha Churches, Bishop Jonas Katung, on December 9 over allegations that he defrauded customers of the defunct Covenant Fadama Cooperative Society, has today, February 4th, extended by a Federal High Court in Jos.

The popular bishop and the Managing Director of Dadin Kowa Micro Finance Bank Ltd in Jos, Irmiya Jatau, were arraigned before Justice M. H. Kurya by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for defrauding hundreds of customers of the institution.

The anti-graft agency also charged the bishop on 24 counts of corruption against the duo in the court, which was presided over by Justice M. H. Kurya.

Both the Bank MD and the Bishop, including one Okewole Dayo as well as Dadin Kowa Micro-Finance Bank Limited were joined as defendants standing trial for their alleged roles in defrauding over 64,000 customers of the defunct cooperative society.

It was learnt that at the resumed hearing of the case, the accused persons asked the court to grant them bail, premising their argument on the fact that Katung had earlier been granted bail on the same charges.

However, the prosecution counsel of the EFCC led by L. P. Asor said that the bail application earlier granted to Katung did not include the Managing Director of Dadin Kowa Micro Finance Bank, since no charge was preferred against him as at the time the bail application was granted to the bishop who is the first accused person.

According to EFCC, the charges against the bank MD were only filed two days ago. Jatau’s counsel, G. G. Achi however argued that the bail granted to the first accused person should also apply to the bank MD since he is one of the co-accused persons in the entire case.

Justice Kurya, after hearing the arguments from both sides, ruled that the bank MD be remanded in prison, pending the time his bail application is filed and considered by the court while the bail earlier granted bishop Katung should continue.

He adjourned the case till March 7 for further hearing.