Court Orders Ex-Plateau Governor, Jonah Jang To Pay N3.4 Million As Damages For Struggling To Stop Judicial Commission Of Inquiry Set Up By Lalong

Yakubu Busari

The Plateau State High Court sitting under the Chief Honourable Justice Pius Damulak ,has awarded a N3.4 million damages against the former Governor Jonah David Jang now senator representing Plateau Northern district for struggling to stop judicial commission of inquiry set up by Governor Simon Bako Lalong.

The judge dismissed and struck out a case filed by former Governor, Jonah Jang, against the sitting Governor, Simon Lalong, over the report of judicial commission of inquiry to investigate his administration from 29th May,2007 to May 29th ,2015.

It was gathered that Senator, Jang, who is the immediate past governor had filed a suit challenging the State Governor, Lalong and 9 others wherein, he sought for an order of the court restricting the Governor, from publishing the white paper which will show the commission’s findings.

However, the commission of inquiry set up to unravel financial irregularities and misappropriation of funds running into more than  N250 billion alleged that there was so much debt left by Jang while serving as the chief executive Governor.

The commission indicted some past commissioners and contractors including top past government officials for inflicting contract figures.

Delivering judgement on Tuesday at High court 1 , the chief judge of Plateau State, justice Pius Damulak, said the state Government had set up the commission of enquiry in line with the provision of the law, stressing that the judicial commission of enquiry acted in accordance with the act that established it.

Justice Damulak, said the fact Jang has send a counsel that represented him and was duly served by the commission that clearly indicated that has been properly served by the Secretary of the Commission.

The judged ruled that Jang’s alleged witch-hunt, from the outcome, was speculative and lack merit which is null and void.

The Judge rule, that “I found and hold that this court cannot grant any of the relives sought, this case is hereby dismissed,” justice Damulak ordered.

After dissolving all the 13 count charges brought before him, he then ordered Jang, to pay the sum of N3.4 million as damages for misleading the court.

Plateau Commissioner of justice, Barrister Jonathan Mawiyau, said, “We are in better position now to look into the recommendations of the commission.

He said the judgement has given them the light with the promise to implement the outcome of the commission as soon as, as the government will carefully take a look into it ,adding  that as soon as possible, they will  go ahead and come up with the white paper, that will help move the state forward.