The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, May 29, 2025, re-arraigned two executives of Covenant Fadama Multi-purpose Cooperative Society—Secretary Okewole Dayo and Chairman Bishop Katung Jonas—before Justice Sharon T. Ishaya of the Federal High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State.

The defendants are facing a 23-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretence, and money laundering involving a total of ₦178,885,000 (One Hundred and Seventy-Eight Million, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Five Thousand Naira).

According to the EFCC, the accused allegedly used the cooperative society as a front to deceive members of the public into investing large sums of money, which were subsequently laundered through various bank accounts and withdrawn via proxies. The proceeds were purportedly used to acquire properties in Jos and Kaduna.

One of the charges, Count 2, reads:

“That you, OKEWOLE DAYO (Alias OKEWOLE DAVID DAYO) and BISHOP KATUNG JONAS, being Secretary and Chairman of Covenant Fadama Cooperative Society, sometime in 2012 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly transfer the sum of ₦50,000,000 (Fifty Million Naira) from Covenant Fadama Cooperative Society’s First Bank Account number 2003050001625 into Dadin Kowa Micro Finance Account, First Bank Account number 2016452671, which sum represents proceeds of unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”

Count 8 read: “That you, OKEWOLE DAYO (Alias OKEWOLE DAVID DAYO) and BISHOP KATUNG JONAS, being Secretary and Chairman of Covenant Fadama Cooperative Society, sometime in 2012 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did, with intent to defraud, obtain the sum of ₦10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira) from Reke Vida Ltd under the false pretence that you were going to invest the money in Covenant Fadama Cooperative Society as members and pay a monthly 10% dividend as return on investment, which you knew to be false, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

Both defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

Prosecution counsel, Ibrahim Buba, informed the court of the EFCC’s readiness to proceed. “In view of the defendants’ not guilty pleas, we are ready to open our case and bring in our witnesses. We already have a date fixed for tomorrow, my Lord,” he said.

However, defence counsels raised concerns over their availability.

Counsel to the second defendant, J.J. Achi told the court that he would not be available due to a personal emergency.

“My Lord, my brother is critically ill and was brought from Kaduna. He is to be moved into theatre, and my attention is urgently required,” he explained.

The first defendant’s counsel, C.I. Nwogbo, also expressed his inability to proceed, citing logistical constraints.

“I just recently joined the case and applied for the Certified True Copies of documents attached to the proof of evidence on April 2. I’ve not received them yet, and there are logistical issues with my client who does not reside in Jos,” he stated.

Justice Ishaya expressed concern over the delays and the impact on the prosecution’s efforts. “The prosecution is coming all the way from Abuja. I do not appreciate a situation where counsel travels such a distance without making any progress,” she said.

She then asked the prosecution how many witnesses they intended to present in the course of the trial.

Buba responded: “We initially had 18 witnesses on our list, but due to the passage of time, some are now inaccessible and two are deceased. There may be a need to add new witnesses.”

After listening to all submissions, Justice Ishaya adjourned the case to July 22 and 23, 2025 for continuation of trial.