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Tag: Metuh

  • ‘Metuh’s firm gave N500m to buy property on Banana Island’

    ‘Metuh’s firm gave N500m to buy property on Banana Island’

    •How PDP spokesman destroyed own statement, by witness

    A detective with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Junaid Sai’d, yesterday told a Federal High Court in Abuja that the embattled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman, Olisa Metuh, allegedly transferred N500 million to Daniel Paul International Ltd.

    Sai’d said the money was transferred in two tranches of N200 million and N300 million to purchase a landed property for the defendant on Banana Island in Lagos.

    The detective also claimed the PDP spokesman allegedly gave  $2 million cash to a woman in his home to invest.

    Sai’d told the court that the $2 million was Metuh’s share of the N10 billion allegedly withdrawn by ex-National Security Adviser (NSA), Mohammed Sambo Dasuki, from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for distribution to party members at the last PDP presidential convention where Goodluck Jonathan was picked as a sole candidate.

    The witness said there was evidence that Metuh’s company, Destra Investment Limited, got N400 million from the ex-NSA for security services.

    But he claimed there were no records of contractual agreement or any project executed.

    He said investigation showed that the fund was deployed in PDP campaign.

    Metuh is being tried for allegedly using the N400 million he purportedly received from the Office of the NSA in November, 2014, to fund the party’s presidential campaign.

    He was arraigned with his company, Destra, on January 15 on a seven-count.

    The PDP spokesman was also accused of laundering $2 million cash through a phony investment transaction.

    On January 25, the first prosecution witness,  Nneka Ararume, an employee of Asset and Resource Management (ARM) Company Limited,  admitted collecting $2 million from Metuh in his home at the Prince and Princess Estate, Abuja.

    Ararume, a Wealth Manager with ARM, said she collected the cash from Metuh on December 2, 2014, with an instruction to invest it in the name of his company – Destra Investments.

    Yesterday, Sai’d, under cross-examination by lead defence lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), said: “In the course of investigation, it was shown that the former NSA withdrew about N10 billion from the CBN and converted same into dollars, which amounted to around $47 million.”

    The detective added that the ex-NSA gave the money to the aide de camp (ADC) to the then President and his special adviser (Domestic) to share to PDP members for its presidential convention.

    “The $2 million given by the 1st defendant to Nneka Ararume (prosecution witness 1) was linked to the disbursement of the $47 million, which was converted in November, 2014 and shared to PDP members for its presidential convention.”

    The EFCC operative alleged that the 1st defendant gave the money to Nneka Ararume to convert to naira.

    “There is no document in respect of this transaction, because the money was shared in cash. The document is part of the charges being prepared against those involved. Investigation showed that Ararume during the course of this transaction, worked with ARM Investment,” Sai’d said.

    Earlier, in his testimony-in-chief, the witness explained how Metuh allegedly disbursed the N400 million he received from Dasuki.

    He said Metuh gave part of the money to former PDP Board of Trustees Chairman  Tony Anenih and ex-Aviation Minister Kema Chikwe, among others.

    “Among the disbursements, N77.1 million was paid to Yomi Badejo Okusanya of CMC Connect for PDP campaign.

    “In similar vein, N25 million was paid to Abbah Dabo for campaign.Another N21,776,000  was paid to Chief Anthony Anineh, while N5 million was paid to Chief Chkwe.

    “Another N50 million was transferred to the joint account of the 1st defendant and his wife in the name of Olisa and Kanayo Metuh; N500 million was  transferred to Daniel Paul International Ltd in two tranches of N200 million and 300 million to buy a landed property on Banana Island in Lagos by the 1st defendant,” he said.

    The witness also gave details of how Metuh allegedly tore part of the statement he made at the EFCC.

    “When he concluded writing his statement, which was in four sheets, he handed them over to me. I read it. I also gave it to my other team members to read. After that, I returned it to him for endorsement. He endorsed the first sheet. He also endorsed the second sheet. When he was to endorse the third sheet, in which he stated the money he received…”

    But Sai’d was interrupted by Ikpeazu, who objected to that line of his testimony on the grounds that the torn statement was not before the court.

    Justice Okon Abang overruled Ikpeazu and directed him to allow “the witness’ statement to flow.”

    Following the court’s ruling, Sai’d continued and said Metuh tore part of the statement where the money he received “from the ONSA, was used for PDP campaign and to settle his debts”.

    The EFCC agent added: “To the surprise of the team (investigating team), he (Metuh) tore the sheets into pieces.

    “The pieces of the torn sheets were recovered from him and registered with the exhibit keeper of the commission. I made entry of the incident into my EFCC pocket notebook.

    “I also made the same entry, in the commission’s Incident Duty Record Book.”

    Sai’d said: “ Because of what he did, I declined to give him the fourth sheet to endorse because I did not want him to tear it. Much later in the day, he requested to volunteer more statement, I again wrote the cautionary words, I again asked him if he understood it, he said yes and I signed it and he volunteered statement.

    “The interview and investigation confirmed that money received by Badejo Okusanya of CMC Connect was used to carry out media campaign for the PDP on the instruction of the 1st defendant.

    “In similar vein, the money received by Abbah Dabo was also used for media services for PDP campaign. In the course of investigation, Alhaji Abbah Dabo, having learnt that the money he was paid came from the ONSA, refunded it.

    “Investigation showed that N88.5 million was transferred to Tiboro Nig Ltd, to source foreign exchange. It was able to source 66,000 pounds, after which it returned the balance to Destra. The 66,000 pounds was paid into an account outside Nigeria as instructed by the 1st defendant.

    “Investigation by the commission with respect to funds paid out by the former NSA has led to two separate pending charges before the FCT High Court,” the witness said.

    Copies of the charges and the statement made by Metuh were tendered and admitted in evidence by the court.

    On cross examination, the witness said his investigation team did not obtain statements from former President Goodluck Jonathan in the course of investigation.

    When Ikpeazu ended his cross-examination, prosecution lawyer Tahir announced the closure of the prosecution’s case.

    He objected to Ikpeazu’s request for adjournment to enable his client prepare for his defence.

    Justice Abang noted that the defence did not deserve the adjournment because it failed to provide meaningful reasons.

    He, however, adjourned to February18 for the defence to open its case.

     

  • Ex-VP Sambo’s aide: why I refunded Metuh’s N25m

    Ex-VP Sambo’s aide: why I refunded Metuh’s N25m

    An ex-aide to former Vice President, Namadi Sambo, Abba Dabo, has said he refunded N25 million to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

      He said the spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, gave him the money for the party’s media publicity activities.

    Dabo, who was Sambo’s Political Adviser, said this yesterday while testifying at a Federal High Court, Abuja, at Metuh’s trial.

    Metuh is being tried with his company, Destra Investments Limited, on a-seven count of   allegedly receiving N400 million from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) on November 22, 2014, and laundering $2 million.

    Dabo, led in evidence by prosecution lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir, said the N25 million was paid to him through an account belonging to Metuh’s firm – Destra Investment Limited – on December 16, 2014, five days after former President Goodluck Jonathan and Sambo were selected as the party’s candidates.

    The witness, who said he was an editor and one-time chief press secretary to former President Shehu Shagari, said he eturned the money to the EFCC because he could not reach Metuh, who had then been arrested by the commission.

    Dabo, a chieftain of the PDP said: “Unfortunately, there were reports in the media, on this transaction with Chief Metuh linking it to controversial circumstances. I mean it was identified that Chief Metuh paid the N25 million into my account through his company and that the source of the money was from the arms deal that was being discussed.

    “As a result of that publication, we thought we needed to explain, and because it was paid to my personal account, I decided to make a refund, and  I paid it to EFCC, because I couldn’t reach Mr. Metuh.

    “The newspapers were awash with the story that linked the money given to me to the arms money that was said to have been diverted to other uses by the Office of the National Security Adviser. On my own, I decided that the best way out of the rigmarole was to pay back the amount. I paid it to EFCC.”

    Dabo said he was paid the N25 million by Metuh before  the 2015 presidential election, to help the party “mitigate and counter negative media reports against the Jonathan-led government and the PDP.”

    The witness added that he also set up a team of facilitators and young Information Technology enthusiasts, who were active on the  Internet to run a website, ‘What’s Up Naija’.

    “From the money we received from Chief Metuh, we paid salaries and allowances of facilitators, bought equipment and computers for the young people working on ‘What’s Up Naija’.

    “We paid that year’s rent for our office at 12B Deb Street, Off Danube Street in Maitama, Abuja. We also used that office to monitor the election.”

  • PDP will regain power in 2019, Metuh boasts

    PDP will regain power in 2019, Metuh boasts

    National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, said yesterday that the party is on course to regain power in 2019.

    Metuh, who was let out of detention on bail on Thursday by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), said in Abuja that the PDP has now overcome the initial trauma sparked by its defeat in last year’s elections.

    Metuh, in a veiled reference to the struggle for the leadership of the party by different vested interests, said the “variance of voices” was a reflection of the PDP’s foundation of liberal democracy.

    He spoke at a meeting of the party’s Publicity Directorate with some visiting parliamentarians from the United Kingdom, led by Mark Field, Member of Parliament and Chairman of International Office of the Conservative Party, and Colin Bloom, Director of Outreach-BCP.

    The PDP, according to him, was confronted by serious challenges soon after it lost in the elections, culminating in the resignation of its National Chairman.

    He said that every issue would be resolved by the party leadership by next week.

    In his remark, Mr. Field advised the party to ensure that it does not trash its brand in the face of challenges.

    He noted that while it is common for some party members to demand the removal of leaders after electoral defeat, care must be taken not to jeopardize institutional memory in the party.

    “Never trash your brand no matter what the government of the day is saying about you,” he said.

  • Metuh funded Jonathan’s campaign with ONSA funds – Witnesses

    Metuh funded Jonathan’s campaign with ONSA funds – Witnesses

    The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, funded the re-election campaign of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan with the funds he allegedly received from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), prosecution witnesses said on Thursday.

    The Managing Director of a Lagos-based public relations firm – CMC Connect – Yomi Badejo-Okusanya and a Bureau de Change operator, Kabiru Ibrahim, testified at the resumed hearing in Metuh’s trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Badejo-Okusanya, who testified as the 5th prosecution witness, explained how he was recruited by the PDP spokesman to develop and execute campaigns for Jonathan.

    Metuh is being tried for allegedly using the N400million he received from ONSA in November 2014, to fund the party’s 2015 presidential campaign.

    Badejo-Okusanya told the court that his firm was engaged to provide media campaign and “image management” job for the PDP and Jonathan.

    The witness said he was paid N77.5mIllion through Destra Investments Limited in December 2014, adding that he started executing the contract towards the end of that month.

    The witness said he was paid before he attended a meeting with Jonathan, ex- vice president Namadi Sambo, former Senate President, David Mark and several other top officials of the last administration, in Abuja.

     

  • Metuh paid N400m received from Dasuki into Diamond Bank, witness tells court

    A Federal High Court in Abuja heard yesterday that spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh paid the N400 million he allegedly received from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Mohammed Sambo Dasuki into a Diamond Bank account.

    An Account Officer with  the bank, Eno-Mfon Effiong disclosed while testifying as the fourth prosecution witness in Metuh’s trial before Justice Okon Abang.

    She said Metuh and his company, Destra Investment Limited maintain five accounts with the bank.

    Effiong, who was lead in evidence by the lead prosecution lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir, said the balance in Destra’s account November 24, 2014 was N6,676,576.06 before the payment  N400m by the office of the NSA.

    The company was said to have opened the account in February 2013.

    The witness said the company’s account statement showed that the narration of the N400m transaction showed that the money was paid into the account by the NSA.

    Effiong said she had been managing Destra’s account since it was opened on February 10, 2013.

     ”Also on January 4, 2016, the EFCC sent another letter to Diamond Bank Plc requesting an additional information as regards the instrument that were used in carrying out some transactions on Destra Investments Limited’s  account. The bank also forwarded the documents to the bank

    “The instruments were cheques for payments. I can’t recall all of them,” the witness said.

    Effiong added: “The statement of account has credit and debit transactions and it is on the bank’s letter head.

    “On November 24, 2014 there was a credit into the account of Destra Investment Limited. The amount was N400m. The narration was CBN/CIFTS/NAT Security ADVIS.  In simple terms it means a credit from National Security Adviser.

    “Shortly before the inflow, the balance on the account was N6,676,576.06.”

     Under cross-examination by the defence counsel, Effiong confirmed that she was not surprised to see the credit of N400m on Destra’s account because  Metuh was a “high net worth customer”

    She said, “Before the lodgment of N400m into the account, he (Metuh) could be described as high net worth customer.

    “High net customers are customers who really have high inflow, credits, into their accounts. This is usually because the person is usually a captain of industry, a high earning individual or an established businessman.

    “I was therefore not surprised when I saw the N400m in-flow into the account.

    The EFCC is prosecuting Metuh and Destra Investments Limited on seven counts of money laundering and alleged fraudulent receipt of N400m, which was allegedly part of funds meant for security services, but was used by the defendants for PDP’s campaign activities.

    An earlier move by the prosecuting counsel to tender the company’s bank statement and documents relating to EFCC’s investigation as well as others pertaining to the bank account was opposed by the defence lawyer, Emeka Etiaba (SAN).

    Etiaba complained among others that some of the documents did not fulfill the provisions of the Evidence Act as they were not tendered through the makers, while some others were not certified as specified by the law.

    He particularly objected to the admissibility of a letter by Diamond Bank responding to some requests by the EFCC with respect to Destra’s bank account.

    The letter was erroneously dated January 5, 2015 instead of January 5, 2016, and the defence on the basis of that contended that the document was not admissible because it was not the same as the witness earlier referred to in Effiong’s evidence-in-chief.

    The judge dismissed the argument while upholding Tahir’s submission to the effect that despite the error in the date of the letter, it was clear that it was written in response to a letter by the EFCC dated December 30, 2015.

    “This can only affect the weight to be attached to it at the level of final address not the weight,” the judge ruled.,

     The judge also held that contrary to the contention by Etiaba, all the documents met the standard of admissibility set out in the Evidence Act.

     He held that it was immaterial that the witness through whom the prosecution tendered the bank documents on Wednesday was not the maker, in as much as she was an employee of the bank

     The court also held that the EFCC letters tendered by the prosecution needed no certification as contended by the defence.

     The exhibits admitted on Wednesday included a letter by EFCC to Diamond Bank dated December 30, 2015 and  another one by the commission to the bank dated January 4, 2016.

    Both letters were said to be dated Investigation activities Destra Investment Limited.

    The others included Diamond Bank’s response letter dated January 5, 2015, Certificate of Identification dated January 11, 2015 and signed by Matilda Obigho of Compliance Department of the bank.

    However, Metuh’s hope for a sooner freedom from prison detention received a boost on Wednesday, the court in a ruling altered the bail terms which  it imposed on him on January 19.

    By the judge’s ruling granting in part Metuh’s application for variation of the bail conditions, the PDP spokesperson would no longer be required to produce two sureties who must have property strictly in the Maitama area of Abuja.

     While the bail sum of N400m and other attached conditions remain, Metuh’s proposed sureties, who the court insisted must be resident in Abuja, could now be owners of property with valid title documents “in any district of the Federal Capital Territory”.

    The court delivered a bench ruling on the application filed on January 26 shortly after ýMetuh’s lawyer, Etiaba, moved it on Wednesday.

     The court in its ruling, however, rejected an aspect of Metuh’s application seeking the removal of the bail condition directing the prosecuting counsel, Tahir, to within 24 hours of being notified, verify the addresses of the proposed sureties and the certificates of occupancy of the property to be presented by them.

    The court rejected the second leg of the application despite disregarding the opposition by prosecuting counsel to that aspect of the prayer for failing to file his objection to the application within 24 hours earlier given him to do so.

    The judge upheld Etiaba’s request that Tahir’s submissions be ýexpunged from the court’s records but still went ahead to rule that, “As regarding the second leg of the application, I think the first defendant (Metuh) is asking for what is not legally permissible.”

    Wednesday made the eighth day since Metuh was granted bail but had remained in prison detention due to his inability to fulfil the terms.

    He has spent 12 days in custody from the date of his arraignment on January 15 on charges of money laundering and fraudulent receipt of N400m, part of funds allegedly meant for procurement of arms, from the Office of the National Security Adviser in November 2014.

     Metuh’s trial resumes today.

  • Metuh lodged N400m received from ONSA in bank account – Witness

    Metuh lodged N400m received from ONSA in bank account – Witness

    An Account Officer with Diamond Bank Plc, Eno-Mfon Effiong, on Wednesday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, lodged the N400 million he allegedly received from the ex- National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, in his company account with the bank.

    Effiong, who managed the account of Metuh’s Destra Investment Limited at Diamond Bank, said the account was opened in February 2013.

    She said Metuh and the company maintain five accounts with the bank.

    Effiong, who was lead in evidence by the lead prosecution lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir, said the balance in Destra’s account as at November 24, 2014 was N6, 676,576.06 before the payment of N400 million by ONSA.

    The witness said the company’s account statement showed that the money was paid by ONSA.

    “Also on January 4, 2016, the EFCC sent another letter to Diamond Bank Plc requesting additional information on the instruments that were used in carrying out some transactions on Destra Investments Limited’s account. The bank also forwarded the documents to the EFCC.

    “The instruments were cheques for payments. I can’t recall all of them,” the witness said.

     

  • How Metuh’s firm, 77 others got N1.4b for fictitious contracts – Witness

    How Metuh’s firm, 77 others got N1.4b for fictitious contracts – Witness

    A Federal High Court in Abuja heard on Tuesday how the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) paid N1.4billion to 78 firms including Destral Investment Limited owned by the spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, non-existing contracts.

    The information is contained in a document – an electronic mandate – tendered before the court by the prosecution in the trial of Metuh before Justice Okon Abang.

    The document, tendered through an official of the ONSA, Bali Ndam, was said to have been issued by former NSA, Sambo Dasuki, to the Abuja branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria, authorizing payment of various sums of money running into N1.4billion.

    “What is written on the document is payment for security services,” Ndam, a Legal Adviser at the ONSA, said while testifying in the case. Ndam was led in evidence by lead prosecution lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir.

    Although the prosecution accused Metuh of receiving N400million from the ONSA for the presidential campaign of the PDP, Ndam, when confronted with the document by Metuh’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), read out the document, where it stated that the ONSA paid Metuh for providing “three operational vehicles.”

    Ndam, who testified as the third prosecution witness, said investigation into the arms scandal was informed by a petition from the incumbent NSA, Babagana Monguno, dated November 28, 2015.

     

  • Metuh gave me $2m cash to invest , witness tells court

    Metuh gave me $2m cash to invest , witness tells court

    Two testify as PDP spokesman’s trial begins in Abuja

    Trial opened yesterday at the Federal high Court, Abuja in the money laundering charge against Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman Olisa Metuh, with the prosecution calling two of its planned 18 witnesses.

    The first witness, Nneka Ararume, an employee of Asset and Resource Management (ARM) Company Limited, admitted collecting $2million in cash from Metuh in his house at the Prince and Princess Estate, Abuja in one day.

    Ararume, a Wealth Manager at ARM, said she collected the cash from Metuh on December 2, 2014 with an instruction to invest the money in the name of his company – Destra Investments Limited.

    The witness, who said she was assigned to manage Destra Investments Limited’s funds with ARM, said she later converted the $2m with the help of two bureau de change operators.

    Led in evidence by the lead prosecution lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir, the witness said: “Metuh gave me the sum of $2m in $100 bills. It was taken to bureau de change operators who would then transfer the money to ARM. From there (Metuh’s house), I proceeded to Sie Iyenome’s office at Wuse 2 where I gave him the sum of $1m.

    “I also invited Mr. Kabir Mohammed and I also gave him the sum of $1m to transfer the naira equivalent in favour of Destra Investment Limited. Later on the same day, December 2, 2014, Kabir and Sie Iyenome confirmed the receipt,” Ararume said.

    The defence sought an adjournment after Ararume completed her testimony.

    .Under cross-examination by the defence lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), Ararume said Destra, owned by Metuh, had been ARM’s client before she was employed by the financial services company in April 2013.

    When asked if she knew how long it took the defendants to accumulate the $2m he gave the witness in one day, the witness said “no”.

    The second prosecution witness, Sie Iyenome, one of the bureau de change operators who assisted Ararume to convert $1m out of the $2m she received from Metuh to naira, said he never knew Metuh, but knew only his company, Destra, on December 2, 2014 when Ararume forwarded the company’s account details to him for the payment of the naira equivalent of $1m he received from her.

    He said he reached an agreement on the rate of N183 per dollar with Ararume and that the total sum of the naira equivalent of the $1m amounting to N183m, was eventually paid to Destra’s account.

    Under cross-examination, the witness, who said he believed he was carrying out “a valid transaction”, also told the court that it was practice in the foreign exchange business to ask for the purpose which funds brought by customers were meant for.

    “Most times the question for the purpose the money is meant is done verbally, just for due diligence.

    “This was a brokering transaction. I’m not the one using the dollar. Even at that I asked who was selling and Nneka said it was her client at ARM, which was as good as a bank selling to you, Iyenome said.

    While being re-examined by Tahir, Iyenome confirmed that there was a limit imposed by law as to how much cash a bureau de change operator could transact with.

    “I am aware of some. I can’t name all of them. I’m aware that to sell to an individual travelling outside the country, the limit is $4,000, and for a business, the limit is $5,000,” Iyenome said.

    Earlier, the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang had rejected a move by Ikpeazu to prevent the commencement of the trial. The judge refused Ikpeazu’s application for adjournment to enable the defence team prepare for the trial.

    Also, the judge refused Ikpeazu’s request that his application for the variation of his client’s bail condition be heard. Ikpeazu had told the court that his client was yet to meet the conditions attached to the bail granted him.

    In a ruling, the judge said the application was not ripe for hearing. He adjourned further trial till today and fixed tomorrow for the hearing of Metuh’s application for the variation of his bail conditions.

     

  • I received $2m cash from Metuh in one day – Witness

    I received $2m cash from Metuh in one day – Witness

    Trial opened on Monday at the Federal high Court, Abuja in the money laundering charge against the spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, with the prosecution calling two of its planned 18 witnesses.

    The first witness, Nneka Ararume, an employee of Asset and Resource Management (ARM) Company Limited, who admitted she collected $2million cash from Metuh in his house at the Prince and Princess Estate, Abuja, in one day.

    Ararume, a Wealth Manager at ARM, said she collected the cash from the PDP spokesman on December 2, 2014 with an instruction to invest the money in the name of his company – Destra Investments Limited.

    The witness, who said she was assigned to manage Destra Investments Limited’s funds with ARM, said she later converted the $2million naira with the help of two Bureau De Change operators.

    Led in evidence by the lead prosecution lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir, the witness said: “Metuh gave me the sum of $2million in $100 bills. It was taken to Bureau De Change operators who would then transfer the money to ARM. From there (Metuh’s house), I proceeded to Sie Iyenome’s office at Wuse 2 where I gave him the sum of $1million.

    “I also invited Mr. Kabir Mohammed and I also gave him the sum of $1million to transfer the naira equivalent in favour of Destra Investment Limited. Later on the same day, December 2, 2014 Kabir and Sie Iyenome confirmed the receipt.”

    The defence also sought an adjournment after Ararume completed her testimony.

    Under cross-examination by the defence lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), Ararume said Destra, owned by Metuh, had been ARM’s client before she was employed by the financial services company in April 2013.

    When asked if she knew how long it took the defendants to accumulate the $2million he gave the witness in one day, the witness said “no.”

  • Alleged destruction of statement: Metuh gets N600m bail

    Alleged destruction of statement: Metuh gets N600m bail

    Detained spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, got reprieve yesterday as a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) granted him bail at N600 million.

    Metuh was arraigned before the court on Thursday on a two-count charge, in which he was accused of destroying the statement he made to operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Before his arraignment at the FCT High Court on Thursday, Metuh had earlier been arraigned before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court on a seven-count charge of money laundering.

    The judge has since granted Metuh bail at N400m and two sureties, who must have houses in the highbrow Maitama, Abuja.

    Metuh is yet to meet the conditions attached to the bail granted him by the Federal High Court.

    Yesterday, Justice Ishaq Bello of the FCT High Court took argument on Metuh’s bail application.

    Metuh’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), while making oral application for his client’s bail, relied on the provisions of sections 158 and 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 as well as sections 35 and 36 of the Constitution.

    Lead prosecution lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir did not object to the bail application.

    Ruling, the judge agreed with the defence that the offences the accused was charged with were bailable and that he was presumed innocent until proved guilty.

    Trial in the case is expected to open on February 26.