Witnesses have narrated how Kassam Kopte and Yakubu Zwalnan, former Chairman and Secretary, University of Jos’ Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) of Education and Associated Institution, allegedly lured union members into fraudulent land deals and defrauded them.
Kopte and Zwalnan are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on three-count charges bordering on criminal breach of trust and conspiracy to defraud union members to the tune of N178,583,560.36.
The witnesses spoke before Justice S.P Gang of the Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos.
At Wednesday’s court session, Second Prosecution Witness, Dabup Jacob, a lecturer in the UniJos, told the court that he lost N448,200 to the two defendants, being the total cost of two plots of land he chose to buy.
“My Lord, in 2012, they advertised plots of land to the university community, I subscribed for four plots of land.
“Two were shown to me, while the remaining two I have no idea about. And the two I was shown have no title documents for me to claim them as mine. No evidence to call them mine.”
Jacob said he paid for the two plots through direct deposits into the NASU plots of land account they were given, while the remaining two were to be deducted from my salary.
“I have a photocopy of the evidence of payments because the originals are with the union.”
In his own testimony, Third Prosecution Witness, James Jangfa narrated that he lost a total of N896,400 to the two defendants, which was the total cost of five plots of land he was deceived into buying by the duo.
“My Lord, I subscribed for five plots of land. I paid for three, while the other two were to be deducted from my salary. Three plots of lands were shown to me, and I accepted, while I was shown another two in a valley, which I rejected.
“Of the total lands, my Lord, none has a document to back it up, even after we paid for land title fees and other formalities. So technically, my Lord, I can’t claim any of the land because it has no paper document to back them up.”
Earlier on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, the first Prosecution Witness, Bitrus Ayuba, had told the court that he lost N448,000.00 to the two defendants.
The judge adjourned the matter till May 14 and 15 2024 for continuation of trial.
