EFCC to re-arraign Olisa Metuh, on allegations of N400m fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will, on May 30, re-arraign former National Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, on allegations bordering on N400 million fraud.

Mr Metuh is expected to be re-arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.

On Monday, from Court 8, where Mr Nwite presides, it was gathered that hearing notices had already been issued, though it could not be confirmed if counsel to the parties had been communicated.

On February 15, the retrial of the ex-PDP spokesman was reassigned to Mr Nwite, the new judge in the Abuja division.

Before the reassignment, the matter was before a judge, Obiora Egwuatu. The case was assigned to Mr Egwuatu last year following his transfer to the Abuja division of the court.

Mr Egwatu had fixed October 14, 2021, for Metuh’s re-arraignment after the Court of Appeal’s decision, nullifying the trial court’s judgment.

But on the adjourned date, the judge was not in court. He was said to have gone for Judges’ seminar in Lagos.The court, therefore, fixed February 15 for the former PDP spokesman’s retrial.

But a check at Court 9, where the suit was expected to be held, showed that the case between the federal government and Mr Metuh was not on the cause list.

However, it was gathered that the matter, which had not commenced before Mr Egwuatu, was reassigned to Mr Nwite, recently transferred to the Abuja division after the retirement of Justice Anwuli Chikere.

The Court of Appeal had, on December 16, 2020, nullified a Federal High Court Judgement that convicted and sentenced Mr Metuh to seven years imprisonment for money laundering.

In a unanimous decision, a three-person panel of justices of the appellate court held that the judgment of the trial judge, Okon Abang, delivered against Mr Metuh on February 25, 2020, was tainted with bias.

Mr Metuh was jailed over the allegation he received N 400 million from former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki before the 2015 presidential election, without contract approval or execution.

His earlier conviction followed a seven-count charge preferred against him and his firm by the EFCC.

(NAN)