A prosecution witness on Tuesday told the Federal High Court in Jos how a Plateau State-based cleric, Katung Jonas, allegedly used his religious platform and televised sermons to convince hundreds of people to invest in a cooperative scheme now at the centre of a N178 million fraud case.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Mr Jonas, a bishop, and his associate, Okewole Dayo, for allegedly defrauding investors through Covenant Fadama Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, a venture they led as chairman and secretary, respectively.
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A statement from the EFCC highlighting the development at Tuesday’s hearing said both men are standing trial on 23 counts of obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of N178.8 million.
Testifying before trial judge Sharon T. Ishaya, the first prosecution witness, Sulaiman Kwalla, said he and his wife were among thousands of victims who invested in the cooperative after watching advertisements aired on Plateau Radio Television Corporation (PRTV). According to him, the advertisements often followed Mr Jonas’s sermons and included direct appeals to viewers to invest.
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“Based on the Bishop’s religious standing and the promise of a 10 percent monthly return, I was convinced it was a genuine investment,” Mr Kwalla said during his examination by EFCC counsel, Ibrahim Buba.
The witness told the court he paid N200,000 in his name and N100,000 on behalf of his wife, Halima Ibrahim Danyaro, into an account at Dadin Kowa Microfinance Bank, which was reportedly affiliated with the cooperative. He said he received official receipts for both payments.
However, he said no returns were received, and by the end of the first month, other investors had also begun expressing concern.
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“When I went to the cooperative’s office on Secretariat Road, Jos, there was already a crowd of disappointed investors,” Mr Kwalla said.
He narrated how, on 4 June 2012, the situation escalated when angry investors stormed the cooperative’s premises, prompting police intervention. Mr Dayo, the second defendant, was evacuated by officers and later detained at the Plateau State Police Command.
Harvest of excuses, failed recovery efforts
According to Mr Kwalla, a reconciliation meeting involving the police, investors, and Mr Jonas followed. During the meeting, Mr Jonas allegedly admitted to being the chairman of the cooperative and committed to repaying the funds, beginning in July 2012. But that promise, he said, was never fulfilled.
“At every turn, there were new excuses,” he said. “Eventually, Bishop Katung introduced Lanre Global Concept, a firm he claimed would help recover our funds from abroad. Later, he said the money had been invested in forex trading under a new scheme called Global View. None of these promises materialised.”
READ ALSO: How EFCC uncovered N5.78 billion fraud by ex-Kwara governor administration – Witness
The witness said that after several failed attempts to recover their money, the victims, through their lawyer, Solomon Dalung, petitioned the EFCC. He said the petition detailed claims of fraud involving over N8 billion and affecting no fewer than 44,000 investors.
Mr Kwalla told the court that while he eventually received a refund of his ₦200,000 investment, his wife’s N100,000 remains unpaid.
When the prosecution attempted to tender the payment receipts and a copy of the petition submitted to the EFCC, defence counsel C.I. Nwogbo and G.G. Achi objected. They argued that the receipt issued in Mrs Danyaro’s name was inadmissible since she was not in court to testify. They also challenged the admissibility of the petition on the grounds that it lacked proper certification, as required by Section 104 of the Evidence Act and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
But Mr Buba, the prosecution counsel, countered that the receipt was valid since it was issued by the cooperative and related directly to the charge of obtaining money under false pretence. He further argued that the petition was an original document and therefore did not require certification.
The trial judge adjourned the matter until 23 July, for ruling on the admissibility of the documents and continuation of trial.
The case underscores growing concerns around fraudulent financial schemes disguised as cooperative ventures, particularly those that leverage religious platforms to gain public trust.
The EFCC has, in recent years, raised alarm over the proliferation of unregulated investment schemes operating under the guise of cooperative societies, often preying on low-income earners and retirees with promises of high returns.
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