COVENANT FADAMA: Federal High Court Jos set to Commence Trial of Bishop Katung and Three others

A federal high court sitting in Jos has fixed 7th of March 2016 for commencement of hearing and trial of Bishop Jonas Katung and two others standing trial for a 24 count charge bordering on money laundering brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC.

The case which was formally before Justice Ambrose Alagoa of the Federal high court 1 was transferred to Honorable Justice Musa Haruna of court 2 of the Federal high court.

At the court sitting on Wednesday, prosecution counsel, LP Aso filed an amended charge to introduce one Mamman Irmiya, the MD of Dadin Kowa Microfinance Bank as an additional defendant in the suit which was granted by the court and admitted as the 4th defendant.

Counsel to the accused persons, Genesis Achi told the court that pursuant to an earlier application for bail in respect to the first and second defendants in December last year which was granted by the former judge handling the case, the fourth defendant is also entitled to the same bail.

But the prosecution counsel argued that the 4th defendant was not a party to the suit as at the time the first and second defendants were granted bail so he could not have applied for bail at that time.

Honorable Justice Musa Haruna then fixed a new date for the hearing of bail application for the 4th defendant while Bishop Jonas Katung and Okewole Dayo will continue with their bail under the same conditions.

Counsel to the defendants, Genesis Achi explains further what transpired in court.