The witness, Dajok Dakung Godfrey, testified as the third prosecution witness (PW3) in the ongoing trial of Okewole Dayo and Bishop Jonas Katung before Justice Sharon T. Ishaya.
A prosecution witness on Wednesday told a Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State, how he allegedly lost ₦3.9 million to what prosecutors describe as a fraudulent investment scheme operated under the name of Fadama Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society.
The witness, Dajok Dakung Godfrey, testified as the third prosecution witness (PW3) in the ongoing trial of Okewole Dayo and Bishop Jonas Katung before Justice Sharon T. Ishaya.
Katung is the General Overseer of the Living Stone Assembly International. Living Stone Assembly International is also known as Maranatha Covenant Churches International Jos.
The defendants are facing a 23-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence amounting to ₦178,885,000.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Ibrahim Buba, Godfrey, a 42-year-old civil servant, narrated that he became involved with the cooperative after watching a televised presentation in May 2010.
“I got to know the defendant when he was making a presentation on television in May 2010,” the witness told the court.
“Bishop Katung Jonas encouraged people to join the Covenant Fadama Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society. As a man of God, I believed what he was saying.”
According to him, he later visited the cooperative’s temporary office located at the former NICON Insurance building along Secretariat Road, Jos, on June 4, 2010.
There, he said he purchased a registration form for ₦1,000 and made an initial deposit of ₦400,000.
Godfrey explained that he continued making contributions over time until his total investment reached ₦3.9 million.
“They were paying 10 per cent interest every month until December 2011, when a message came that we should hold on,” he said. “After waiting until 2012 without payment, members began to raise an alarm.”
The witness told the court that the first defendant, Okewole Dayo, was introduced to members as the secretary and executive director of the cooperative, while Bishop Jonas Katung identified himself as either the chairman or president of the organisation.
He further narrated that following growing complaints from members, a committee of cooperators met with the defendants at the Lamond Hotel in Jos, where assurances were given that the problem would be resolved.
“After the meeting, we left with hope,” Godfrey said. “But nothing came out of it.”
With no resolution forthcoming, he said the cooperators eventually engaged a legal practitioner, Solomon Dalung, who petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on their behalf.
During his testimony, Godfrey identified receipts issued to him by the cooperative as proof of his payments, confirming that the documents bore his name and the amounts he contributed.
The receipts were tendered through him and admitted in evidence as Exhibit H.
He also told the court that, beyond his main investment, additional deductions were made from members’ savings.
“1 per cent was being removed from our money monthly to the tune of ₦261,000,” he said.
Under cross-examination by counsel to the first defendant, C.I. Nwogbo, the witness admitted that he did not make any payment directly to Dayo.
He also confirmed that the televised broadcast that influenced his decision to invest did not mention any partner, adding that he only became aware of Dayo’s involvement when the crisis began.
Godfrey further identified his written statement made to the EFCC on August 14, 2014, which was admitted in evidence as Exhibit PW3A.
“It is my handwriting, and it is the truth,” he said.
When presented with the cooperative’s bylaws, admitted as Exhibit E, and asked whether Dayo’s name appeared as secretary, the witness said it did not, maintaining that his statement to investigators accurately reflected the events as he knew them.
“I did not instruct them on what to do with my money,” he added. “My complaint to the EFCC was to recover my money and to investigate.”
During cross-examination by counsel to the second defendant, G.G. Achi, Godfrey said he did not know Bishop Jonas personally before the investment scheme but knew him “as a man of God,” adding that he had attended one of his church services but could not recall the date.
He confirmed seeing Bishop Jonas at the settlement meeting held at the Lamond Hotel, but said no minutes were taken at the meeting.
With no re-examination from the prosecution, Justice Ishaya adjourned the case until February 19, 2026, for continuation of the trial.