Crime News
Olisa Metuh Insists EFCC Must Investigate Jonathan, Pleads Not Guilty To Money Laundering Charges
Feb 22, 2016 – Olisa Metuh Insists EFCC Must Investigate Jonathan, Pleads Not Guilty To Money Laundering Charges
PDP National Publicity Secretary Chief Olisa Metuh, has told a Federal High Court that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) cannot prosecute him without interrogating former President Goodluck Jonathan regarding the source of the N400 million alleged to be part of arms purchase funds.
Metuh, who has filed a no case submission asking the court to discharge him from the seven- count money laundering charge preferred against him and his company, Destra Investment Limited, said the Prosecution Witness (PW5) evidence that presentation for which money was paid was made to
Jonathan makes the investigation of his role as well as his evidence vital and indeed crucial without which no prima facie case can conceivably be said to have been made out. Chief Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) led Metuh’s defence team.
“Dr. Jonathan, to whom the presentation was made for which the payment was made, is therefore a material and indispensible person in order for a prima facie case to be present. Where the prosecution failed to call such a vital witness, a strong presumption will arise that the evidence, if called, would be unfavourable to the prosecution.
Metuh argued that the EFCC has not established a prima facie case against him in line with Sections 302 and 357 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 since the prosecution has not made such case against him and his company.
“In any case, the “mens rea’ of the defendants to the effect that former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) committed a criminal offence cannot be inferred, but must be established by a competent evidence which must come from the prosecution.
It is the case of Metuh that no evidence was laid out by the prosecution that N400 million was the proceed of alleged criminal conduct committed by Dasuki, adding that if anything, all the documents presented by the prosecution in the case only point out that the former NSA complied with due process and the contrary has not been pronounced by the court of competent jurisdiction.
“In this case, by the evidence of PW3 who works in the Office of the National Security Adviser [ONSA], the NSA is answerable to the then President Goodluck Jonathan only,” he said.
Metuh said Section 15 [2] [d] of the ACJA requires the proof that the money must be proceed of an unlawful act.
“In this case, it has not been established that the defendants knew that the ONSA engaged in any unlawful acts, adding that an unlawful act must be an act which is not authorised or approved and which has been found to be illegal.
“There was no evidence that the defendants were involved in any forged documents to create a contract where none was in fact, in existence. “Pw8, the investigator was emphatic that he found no relationship of any kind between the defendants and Col. Sambo Dasuki.”
Meanwhile, Metuh took a fresh plea of not guilty in the amended charge against him and his earlier bail was restored by the court.
The fresh charge has nothing substantial as it did not alter the earlier one, but was just to correct some legal wordings contained in the previous charge sheet.
Justice Abang Okon, had granted Metuh leave to file his written no case submission after Ikpeazu moved an oral application that was not opposed by the prosecution counsel.
The judge ruled that the defence counsel is in control of his brief and at liberty to take any decision or action that was in the best interest of his client.
In granting the leave, Justice Okon directed counsel to file written addresses for and against the no case submission. While Metuh was directed to file his process yesterday, the prosecution counsel upon receipt of service, was directed to reply within three days to enable the defence counsel to reply on point of law within 24 hours.
Further hearing was adjourned to February 25 for adoption of written addresses.
[The Sun]
RAPO
February 22, 2016 at 7:30 AM
YOU HAVE BEEN CAUTH,,, THEY DON CATCH YOU!!! SHOT UP YOUR MOUTH AND KEEP QUIET….
sola olaniyi
February 22, 2016 at 7:39 AM
i agree with him
Maryf
February 22, 2016 at 7:55 AM
No body is above law, they should interrogate the former president before concluding. Ha ha
chyna
February 22, 2016 at 8:28 AM
na dem sabi
Ademola
February 22, 2016 at 8:43 AM
If x president is involved let him be arrested
Amazon
February 22, 2016 at 8:46 AM
They should better leave Jona out of this
john
February 22, 2016 at 9:45 AM
president Goodluck jonathan i know, Olisa Metuh, who are you? who knows you ? WHY ARE YOU COMPARE YOURSELF TO GOODLUCK?
John Emeka
February 22, 2016 at 12:10 PM
Keep Goodluck Jonathan out of d mess u got urself into pls, u ill never admit 2 d truth knowing fully well dat u re lieing
Metu Nyetu
February 22, 2016 at 3:34 PM
Olisa Metuh is in fact correct. If GEJ is not brought to answer some questions, then this whole fight is a charade. Inviting GEJ would now lead to a domino kind of effect where you must have to try other past heads of state, and this would do the nation more harm than good.
I do not take sides with thieves. Every criminal should be purnished. But I was one of those who advised that Buhari should let sleeping dogs lie, but permit no other fresh dog to sleep. But Buhari would not listen. Now he is waking the dogs from their sleep. He should be man enough to wake all of them: not wake some leave some.
Adubi wall
February 22, 2016 at 3:55 PM
Olisa fit call anybody, wey chop inside the moni, abeg nobody is above the law jor, N400Million nah small moni? Olisa just dey talk de true now..!!!
figer
February 22, 2016 at 5:12 PM
Some pipul r waiting, any pesin dat tamper wit Goodlock, dat one may lead to war.
EGBERRI MAMA 1
February 22, 2016 at 7:00 PM
YOU PEOPLE SHUD JUST RESPECT URSELVES AND RESPECT BIG BROS JONATHAN . AS JONATHAN CAME IN PEACE AND LEFT IN PEACE , UNA NO LIKE AM KWO ??. WE ARE STILL WATCHING .DON,T FORCE URSELF TO BE A LEADER WHEN U ARE NOT .. WHY IS APC COMPLAINING 2 MUCH ? DID U PEOPLE NOT KNOW ALL THESE B4 STRUGGLING TO COME THRU D BACK -DOOR ? DID AMEACHI NOT EMPTY RIVERS STATE PURSE 4 SAME CAMPAIGN ?
Jojo
February 22, 2016 at 7:58 PM
I agree with him.
my lady
February 22, 2016 at 11:52 PM
Efcc and Buhari should stop this revenge mission
Jilo
February 23, 2016 at 2:17 AM
@ my lady, I think defense counsel has a strong point. Although this is one of the technicalities that the lawyers are using to break the chain of overwhelming charges hanging around the neck of their clients. Olisa Methu has every right to drag Jonathan into this mess because he never monitored how the money was spent. I supported Olisa Methu on this one. This investigation will not be completed if Jonathan is never summon to come and testify about how he watched such huge amount of money disappearing during his tenure as a president and commander in chief. At least someone or group of people must take responsibility for how our money ended up in private company account. It reminds me when a BBC reporter questioned Jonathan what he knew about arms money as a president, he replied, I was not in charge. Even though he was not directly in charge of disbursement of that money, at least he was aware about what they are going to use it for. It is high time that our leader should start taking responsibility for their actions. A president of a Country should not be elected to come and stay like mumu and getting paid with people’s money for doing nothing. At least a potential leader must know what is going on around him/her.
Edu jibia
February 23, 2016 at 3:43 AM
@ ademola becareful watch ur mouth oo and know wht 2 say, wht iz ur bussiness with d x president gej?