Nigerian senator remanded in $17.5M corruption case

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria

A Nigerian senator was remanded in custody on Wednesday in a multi-million dollar corruption case.

Jonah Jang appeared in a high court where he was tried on 12 counts of corruption and mismanagement of public funds worth $17.5 million.

Anti-graft agency Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told the court Jang committed the offense while he was governor of central Plateau State.

Jang has been charged with embezzlement of a large chunk of special funds the country's central bank gave to Plateau to grow businesses in 2015.

The senator pleaded not guilty.

The court hearing was disrupted by thousands of his supporters who claimed the senator was being victimized because he belongs to the opposition People's Democratic Party.

Justice Daniel Longji ordered the senator to be remanded in prison till May 24 when he would rule on Jang’s application for bail.

Jang, a retired air commodore, had been in the custody of the anti-graft agency since the past one week for interrogation.

His arraignment swells the rank of top politicians, especially federal lawmakers, who are being tried on corruption charges.