EFCC Witness Reveals How ‘Bishop’ Katung Allegedly Defrauded Him of ₦1.2 Million in ₦178m Faith-Based Investment Scam

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A prosecution witness, Mr. Fasaki Olutayo Jacob, on Thursday, October 16, 2025, told the Federal High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State, how he was allegedly defrauded by Bishop Katung Jonas and Okewole Dayo in an investment scam totaling ₦178.8 million under the guise of a cooperative scheme.

Testifying before Justice Sharon T. Ishaya, the 68-year-old retired civil servant, who appeared as Prosecution Witness 2 (PW2), said he was lured into investing in the so-called Fadama Multi-purpose Cooperative Society after watching one of Bishop Katung’s televised sermons on Plateau Radio and Television (PRTV).

“I got to know Bishop Katung through Plateau TV broadcast station where I watched one of his sermons. The message he delivered that day made me believe that Fadama Multi-purpose Cooperative Society was real,” Jacob testified.

According to the witness, he later met Bishop Katung in person at the Maranata Church, No. 10 Miyangu Street, Jos, where he was convinced to invest in the cooperative, which was presented as a faith-based investment platform promising 10 percent monthly returns.

He said he initially deposited ₦1 million into the cooperative’s account at Dadin Kowa Microfinance Bank, later adding ₦200,000, bringing his total investment to ₦1.2 million.

However, the payment of interest reportedly stopped in 2012. When investors complained, Dayo, one of the defendants, called a meeting at Lamide Hotel, Jos, pleading for patience and assuring them that payments would resume — a promise that was never fulfilled.

“At one point, Bishop Katung appeared again on a PRTV programme and publicly promised that investors would be paid the following week, but nothing came out of it,” Jacob told the court.

The situation escalated when angry investors stormed the cooperative’s office in Jos, demanding refunds. The police intervened to prevent violence and later referred the case to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation.

Jacob added that during reconciliation efforts, Bishop Katung promised repayment through the sale of a landed property allegedly belonging to the cooperative. The property was later sold, but investors were never paid.

The prosecution tendered the witness’s payment receipt as Exhibit F, which was admitted by the court.

Under cross-examination by C.I. Nwogbo, counsel to the first defendant, Jacob confirmed that he made his statement to the EFCC in 2012 and stood by its contents, emphasising that his decision to invest was influenced by Bishop Katung’s televised sermon.

The defendants, Bishop Katung Jonas and Okewole Dayo, are facing 23 counts of obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of ₦178,885,000, contrary to Section 1(1)(a) and Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.

The case has been adjourned for continuation of trial.