$2.1 arms deal: Metuh faces fresh charge

The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh,  was on Thursday arraigned again by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at an Abuja High on a fresh two-count-charge of destroying the evidence against him.


Olisa Metuh at the Federal High Court signing a document

Metuh was docked before an Abuja High Court sitting at Maitama on a two-count charge bordering on his alleged destruction of evidence against him, but he pleaded not guilty to the charge. Metuh was for the second time brought to court in handcuffs.

EFCC, in the charge signed by its Assistant Director, Legal & Prosecution Department, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, alleged that Metuh who is also facing another seven-count criminal charge before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja, tore and attempted to chew the statement he made under caution while undergoing interrogation. But Metuh has denied the allegation that he destroyed a confessional statement he made before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The anti-graft agency insisted that the destroyed statement would have been vital to its prosecution of the N400m fraud case pending against Metuh before the Federal High Court and said that Metuh, by his action, committed an offence contrary to sections 166 and 326 of the Penal Code Act.

Metuh had through his lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, applied to be released on bail pending the determination of the charge against him. He contended that the allegation against his client is a bailable one. Shortly after the defendant entered his plea, trial Justice Ishaq Bello adjourned hearing on his bail application till Monday.
While adjourning hearing on the bail application, he queried why the EFCC failed to incorporate the current charge to the one already pending before the FHC.

However, the prosecuting counsel, Tahir, while indicating his intention to oppose Metuh’s bail request, stressed that the charge levelled against him attracts two years imprisonment upon his conviction.
The EFCC lawyer equally told the court that the commission has already lined up three witnesses to testify against the defendant.

Part of the charge that was preferred against Metuh yesterday read, “That you, Olisa Metuh in January 2016 while in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, attempted to destroy evidence to prevent its production in court during trial contrary to Section 1 of the Panel Code.

“That you Olisa Metuh, with intent to cause damage to the property of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, tore into pieces statement you made under caution contrary to section 326 of the panel code and punishable under Section 327 of the same code”.

Justice Abang on Tuesday granted Metuh bail to the tune of N400million, but the court however ordered that he should be remanded at Kuje Prison pending when he is able to perfect all the bail conditions.

This happened just as the trial of embattled former National Security Adviser, NSA, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd) on a 19-count-charge turned dramatic, yesterday, at the Abuja High Court sitting at Maitama as the trial judge stood down trial for two hours, insisting that he must be produced in court as required by law before he could continue with the proceedings.