A 68-year-old retired public servant took the stand at the Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State, recounting how a pastor allegedly drew him and numerous others into a cooperative scheme that drained them of millions of naira.
Fasaki Jacob delivered his testimony on Thursday in the trial overseen by Justice Sharon Ishaya, where Pastor Jonas Katung and businessman Okewole Dayo face charges from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The duo is accused of 23 offenses related to fraudulently securing N178.9 million through the Fadama Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, according to an EFCC update from spokesperson Dele Oyewale.
Guided by EFCC counsel Ibrahim Buba, Jacob explained that a sermon by Katung, broadcast on Plateau Radio and Television (PRTV), persuaded him of the cooperative’s legitimacy. “That broadcast convinced me the organization was genuine,” Jacob stated.
Following the program, Jacob visited Katung’s Maranatha Church on Miyangu Street in Jos, where the pastor urged him to join the initiative, described as a community-oriented, values-based group. There, he encountered Dayo, who directed payments to the society’s bank account. Jacob deposited N1 million at Dadin Kowa Microfinance Bank, obtaining a receipt, and later added N200,000 in June 2011, totaling N1.2 million.
Participants were assured of 10% monthly interest, tracked via personal investment slips. However, payouts ceased by 2012. Jacob noted that Katung once addressed the issue on PRTV, vowing repayments the following week, but no funds materialized.
As frustrations mounted, affected members pressed the society’s leaders for returns. The standoff escalated, prompting police intervention to shield Dayo from irate crowds. “We selected representatives, including myself, to discuss at the station,” Jacob said. When authorities could not mediate, the case was escalated to the EFCC.
Jacob described how both suspects provided statements to investigators and joined a later mediation session, during which Katung pledged to liquidate a society-owned asset for reimbursements. “He shared land papers and suggested we assist in selling it,” Jacob recalled. Yet, after the sale, investors received nothing.
The court accepted Jacob’s bank receipt into evidence, marked as Exhibit F.
During questioning by Dayo’s attorney, C.I. Nwogbo, Jacob verified his 2012 EFCC statement as truthful but emphasized that Dayo had no role in the persuasive broadcast. Responding to Katung’s counsel, G.G. Achi, he acknowledged prior acquaintance with the pastor but stressed that the TV message was the key factor in his decision to invest.
Justice Ishaya excused the witness and rescheduled proceedings for December 10 and 11.
The EFCC re-filed the 23-count indictment against Katung and Dayo on May 29 before the Jos court, alleging a plot to conspire and deceive via the cooperative, which targeted churchgoers and government workers with high-yield pledges.
Probes indicate that the collected funds were rerouted to private and affiliated accounts, funding real estate in Jos and Kaduna. The operation reportedly exploited religious broadcasts and talks to build trust among participants who viewed it as a trustworthy, spiritually aligned venture.
