Metuh’s Trial Resumes Tuesday, June 20

Mon, Jun 19, 2017 | By publisher


Judiciary

THE trial of Olisa Metuh, a former national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which has been on suspension for about six months is to resume Tuesday, June 20, at a federal high court in Abuja.

Justice Okon Abang, presiding judge, on Monday, June 19, fixed Tuesday for continuation of the trial after dismissing Metuh’s application for stay of proceedings in obedience to the June 9, 2017, ruling of the Supreme Court.

The trial had been put on hold due to interlocutory applications by the defence since December 16, 2016, when Metuh called his last witness.

But on Monday, Abang ruled: “The coast is now clear for the resumption of the trial that was suspended to abide the outcome of the application dated March 17, 2017. The application has been dismissed.

“In the light of this, the matter is adjourned until 1 pm on June 20, 2017, for further hearing of the first defendant’s case.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Metuh and Destra Investments Limited, his company, before Abang at the federal high court in Abuja, on seven counts of fraud and money laundering charges.

The alleged offences involved the sums of $2m and N400m which the defendants allegedly received unjustifiably from the Office of the National Security Adviser in 2014 allegedly to fund the PDP’s 2015 presidential campaign.

In line with the Supreme Court decision of June 9, Abang dismissed the application filed by Metuh seeking an order of stay of proceedings in the trial.

The apex court, had in the said ruling, validated section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 which prohibits courts from entertaining such application for stay of proceedings.

Although Metuh had in his application dated March 17, 2017, only specifically asked the court to await and adjourn until after June 9, 2017, the date the Supreme Court had scheduled for its ruling, Abang in his ruling on Monday, June 19, said the application amounted to asking for a stay of proceedings.

“In my view, the application for an adjournment of further trial to abide the occurrence of an event in future is seeking to stay proceedings,” Abang said.

Justice Abang, in dismissing the application said he lacked jurisdiction to reopen the issue having heard parties and a considered ruling delivered on it on May 25, 2016.

Abang also dismissed an application filed by Metuh asking that his passport be released to enable him to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment for a period of five weeks.

—  Jun 19, 2017 @ 13:10 GMT

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