The National Publicity Secretary of the People Democratic Party (PDP) Olisa Metuh pleaded not guilty to a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday, 18 February to the seven-count charge of fraud and money laundering the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged him with. Metuh has been standing trial since January 2016 for fraudulently receiving N400m from the Office of the National Security Adviser in November, 2014 and money laundering involving about $2m.
The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) hold the belief that this latest move by Metuh with the no-case submission and the other pleas; are all legal technicalities or tactics to achieve the truncating the course of justice or to delay the final judgment on the case, despite all the glaring evidences gathered by the EFCC to corroborate the prosecution.
According media reports, Justice Okon Abang the presiding Judge, granted the permission to Metuh who is being prosecuted along with his company, Destra Investment Limited, to file a written address to the no-case submission and equally ruled that Metuh should continue to enjoy the bail earlier granted him in the same terms and conditions.
Mr Debo Adeniran, Executive Chairman of CACOL in responding to the development, called on Justice Okon Abang, “not to concede to any form of bias or compromise on his judgment irrespective of pressure from any quarters but do the right thing by ruling on the case and administering justice in line with the laws of our country without fear or favour’’.
‘’At this stage of the anti-corruption war; the nation need to guard and guide against elements that are bent on relying on the weaknesses of our laws to get away with their crimes. The corrupt amongst us have through primitive accumulation acquired huge resources to influence, alter or subvert justice when they are caught pants down! This situation must be corrected and the path to do that is via eternal vigilance’’ Mr Adeniran added.
Corruption is indeed fighting back and we must collectively as nation and people ensure that the on-going anti-corruption war is sustained to salvage our country.
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
080141121208
cacolc@yahoo.com,cacol@thehumanitycentre.org
February 22, 2016.