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BREAKING NEWS: Court Rejects Metuh’s Bid To Stop Trial

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A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, March 9, 2016 rejected the bid to stop trial submitted by the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, for lacking merit.

Trial Justice Okon Abang in hi rulling, maintained that Metuh has a case to answer in the criminal charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), adding that the ruling does not imply that Metuh had been pronounced guilty.

The judge stated that Metuh needed to offer an explanation to the evidence brought before the court on how he received and disbursed the money given to him by the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki.

Abang said: “There are several questions that only the defendant can answer. He admitted knowledge that on November 24, 2014, the sum on N400m was transferred to his company’s account with Diamond Bank Plc.

“Did the 1st defendant enquire from ‎the bank the source of the money? If he did, what was the response of the bank? It is only the defendant that can answer the question.

“If he did not enquire from the bank, did he report the matter to the EFCC or the Police? If he did not inform the police about the cash inflow into his company’s account, why did he fail to do so?

“Why did he disburse the fund PW6 and 7, and also to Chief Tony Anenih? It is my view that only when the 1st defendant answers the questions, that it will be clear if he knew that the transfer of the N400m formed part of illegal proceeds of crime by the former NSA.

“I have only heard from the prosecution and I am satisfied that a ‎prima-facie case has been made out against the defendant. There is urgent bed for the 1st defendant to tell the court whether indeed he gave $2m to the PW-1 (Nneka Ararume) to convert to Naira equivalent and also the origin of these funds.

“It is my position that the defendant cannot be charged for money laundering if the source of the funds are legitimate.

Metuh had pleaded not guilty to a seven-count of charge of criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N400million.

The court ‎fixed Thursday, ‎March 17, 2016 for Metuh to open his defence

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