Posted on: 07:41 Thu, 26 May 2016

– The lawyer to the former national
publicity secretary of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh
has said that his client is willing to
return N400 million to the federal
government

– The lawyer said Metuh has
established sufficient evidence that he
was not aware of the source of the
money made available to him (Metuh)
by the former president, Goodluck
Jonathan



A counsel to the embattled former
national publicity secretary of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
Olisa Metuh has said his client is
willing to return the N400 million
he (Metuh) allegedly received
illegally from the national security
adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

Speaking to journalists in court
today, May 25, Metuh’s lawyer,
Onyechi Ikpeazu said that since his
client have shown sufficient
evidence that he (Metuh) did not
know the source of N400 million
transferred to his company account
by Dasuki, he is willing to refund
the said amount.

“Chief Metuh had shown sufficient
evidence that he was not aware of
the source of the N400 million
made available to him by the
former President and he has shown
his willingness, since the
commencement of this matter, to
refund the said sum even when
there is no guilt knowledge (mens
rea),” Ikpeazu said.

Ikpeazu also said that having lost
an application made at the Appeal
Court, his client has the right to go
ahead to the Supreme Court to seek
justice.

“There are issues in the Appeal
Court ruling the defence team is
not comfortable with, after due
consultation with our client, he will
instruct us on the next action. The
client has the right of appeal all the
way to the Supreme Court,” he
added.

Metuh’s appeal on the Federal High
Court’s ruling against his no case
submission was today upheld by
the Appeal Court.

Also speaking on the dismissal of
Metuh’s application to travel
abroad for a spinal cord treatment,
Ikpeazu said it is pertinent to note
that his client’s health is
paramount.

“What is important to us for now is
the health situation of the
defendant whose situation has
continued to deteriorate. Even the
constitution recognizes the fact that
an accused should be alive and fit
to face trial and defend himself,”
he said.

Metuh has been under admission at
the National Hospital in Abuja since
Monday, May 23, following his
ailing health condition.

He had earlier applied for the court
to release his passport and grant
him the permission to travel
abroad for a spinal cord treatment.

But the trial judge in his matter,
Justice Abang said his court lacked
the jurisdiction to hear Metuh’s
application for the release of his
passport and as such cannot decide
on his application to travel abroad
for treatment.

Abang based his ruling on the
grounds that the court having made
pronouncements cannot go back on
its own order.

The judge also said that Metuh
failed to give evidence that no
teaching hospital in Abuja can
handle his health issue.