Bitrus Sambo Bako, the Fourth Prosecution Witness, PW4, has recounted before Justice S.P. Gang of the Plateau State High Court, Jos, how the Kassam Kopte and Yakubu Zwalnan,
allegedly enticed union members into fraudulent land transactions, resulting in the loss of their life savings.
The defendants are the former Chairman and Secretary of the University of Jos Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions
The defendants are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, on three counts of criminal breach of trust and conspiracy to defraud, involving a sum of N178,583,560.36 (One Hundred and Seventy-eight Million, Five Hundred and Eighty-three Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty Naira, Thirty-six Kobo), in violation of Section 97 of the Penal Code Laws of Plateau State.
In his testimony led by prosecution counsel Steve Odiase, the witness revealed his familiarity with the defendants and detailed his interactions with them during their tenure as union executives. Kopte served as UniJos NASU President from 2012 to 2019, while Zwalnan held the position of Secretary.
According to him, “I paid for one plot of land with the sum of N170,000 (One Hundred and Seventy Thousand Naira), and an additional N4,500 for processing the land papers, but I never received the documents or took possession of the land.”
The witness further disclosed that the defendants advertised for the sale of the plots of land in two locations-Jos South and Jos East-to the University of Jos community.
He recognized the photocopy of the document with which the ownership of the land was processed for him which was admitted in court as ‘Exhibit E2’ after opposition from counsel to the first defendant, D.G Dashe and that of the second defendant.
Justice Gang thereafter adjourned the matter till July 15, 2024, for continuation of trial.