$2.1bn Arms Probe: Court Summons Jonathan to Testify as Metuh’s Witness

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Tuesday, October 24th, 2017

ABUJA, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Abuja, Tuesday confirmed that he had signed a ”subpoena” directing the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan to appear before the court Wednesday, to testify in defence of a former National Publicity Secretary of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh.

At the resumed trial Tuesday, Justice Abang confirmed that he received Metuh’s application to summon the former President Jonathan at about 3.59pm Monday.

The Judge specified that at the close of business yesterday (Monday 23, 2017) at about 3.59pm, the Registrar forwarded to the court in chamber a subpoena to compel former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear in court to testify a the instance of the first defendant (Metuh).

“Therefore in line with section 241(1) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and having regard to the subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal in the appeal CA/A/159C/2017, between Olisa Metuh and Federal Republic of Nigeria dated September 29, 2017 to the effect that it will be tantamount to violating the right of the first defendant to fair hearing not to sign the subpoena.

“I have no option other than to sign a subpoena to compel former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear in court on September 25, 2017 (Wednesday) to give evidence at the instance of the first defendant” Justice Abang submitted.

Some of Metuh’s defence witnesses, who ended testimony earlier Monday, had insisted that the sum of N400m and others paid to the former PDP Spokesperson from the ex NSA office in November 2014, were directly authorized by the former President.

It would be recalled that the lead Counsel to Metuh, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), told Justice Abang Monday that he would apply for subpoena to be issued on the former President as a defence witness.

In effect, the Lawyer informed the court that he had formally communicated to Dr. Jonathan, notifying him about the intention to make him testify in the court. He added that, the ex-President was yet to reply.

Metuh and his company – Destra Investments Limited, were arraigned before court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on seven counts of money laundering involving alleged cash transaction of $2m and fraudulent receipt of N400m, part of $2.1bn meant for procurement of arms to dislodge Boko Haram in the North East, from the Office of the National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd).