METUH'S UNENDING TRIAL

METUH AND THE UNENDING ARMSGATE

BY: KINGS OFURHE

Banana Island property of Metuh valued at #500m…. Witness

Following Metuh’s continued trial at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja; a prosecution witness has given evidence of how the PDP Spokesman bought a property worth #500m in Lagos state.

Speaking under cross examination by Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), Junaid Sa’ad, a detective at the EFCC while giving his testimony told the court how the former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki withdrew the sum of #10b from the Central Bank of Nigeria for the purpose of sharing same to chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for its presidential convention.

According to the EFCC, the said amount was converted into foreign currency amounting to $47m from which the sum of $2m was given to Nneka Ararume for personal investments by Olisa Metuh, is strongly linked to the $47m received from the ONSA. Under further cross-examination whether there was any document on the withdrawal of the #10bby Dasuki, the witness said the document for the withdrawal is part of the other charges to be preferred against Dasuki although, there was no document as to the $47m because it was shared in cash.

Sa’ad further testified to the effect that the PDP Spokesman diverted #50m from the #400m given to him by Dasuki for “security services” to purchase a landed property at Banana Island in Lagos.

As the eight and last witness in the case, Sa’ad said; “investigation revealed that after payment of #400m by the ONSA, a total sum of #366 million was paid into the same account by one Kabiru Ibrahim, who also paid in #150 million; Capital Field Investment Limited paid in #91 million and one Eyitonye paid in #82m”.

“These funds formed the naira equivalent of $2m which the first defendant (Metuh) gave to one Nneka Ararume in cash”.

“Investigations revealed that all this money was used for the campaign activities of the PDP and also for the personal use of the First defendant”.

“From the #400m, campaign activities of the PDP were funded from this same money among which the following were beneficiaries; CMC Connect was paid the sum of #77.5 for campaign activities; Abba Dabo received #25m for a similar purpose which is campaign activities; Chief Anthony Anenih #21.7m. Another sum of #5m was discovered to have been paid Chief Kema Chikwe while the sum of #50m was found to have been to a joint account of the first defendant and his wife”.

“In the course of the investigation, the team visited the residence of the first defendant and invited to the Commission. During his interview, he was asked if he was willing to volunteer a statement in writing and he said “yes”. When he concluded writing his statement which was in four (4) sheets, he handed same to us. I also read what he had written and gave same to the other members of the team to read after which it was returned to him for his endorsement “.

“The first defendant endorsed the first and second sheets but on getting to the third sheet, in which he had stated that, the money he received from the ONSA was used for PDP campaign activities to settle his personal debts, to the surprise of the team he suddenly tore the sheet. The pieces of the torn sheets were then recovered from him and registered as exhibit”.

Slyvanus Tahir, Prosecution counsel meanwhile has announced that he has closed its case against Metuh.

The first defendant is expected to open his defence on February 18, 2016.