The trial of the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh commenced on Monday at the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Okon Abang who dismissed the call by Metuh’s counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, for an adjournment of the matter.
Ikpeazu informed the court that he has filed an application for variation of bail terms in view of the fact that he is not adequately prepared for the commencement of trial because some very important document needed for the trial were unavailable, largely due to the fact that his client was yet to meet the terms of his bail since it was granted on Jan 16.
He informed the court that Metuh’s continued detention at the Kuje prison has denied him access to some this very important document and as such prayed the court to adjourned the matter. This was however opposed by the prosecution counsel, Slyvanus Tahir, and was upheld by Justice Abang.
Meanwhile, he trial commenced with the court hearing the testimony of one Nneka Ararume who claimed to be the Wealth Manager of Assets and Resources Management, ARM, Limited.
Ararume informed the court of how the embattled PDP spokesman gave her the sum of $2m at his Abuja residence in Prince and Princess Estate and from there she proceeded to change the money to Naira through two bureau-de-change operators she contracted.
Her words, “Metuh gave me the sum of $2m in $100 bills on December 2014 at about 9.30pm in his house and I took the money to the Bureau de Change operator who then transferred it to the account of ARM for investment. From his house, I went to Sie Iyenome’s office in Wuse 2 where I also gave him $1m to change.
She added, “On December 2, I also gave the sum of $1m to one Kabir Mohammed to transfer the naira equivalent in favour of Dextra Investment Limited. On the same day, Kabir and Iyenome both confirmed receiving the money.”
After the hearing of Ararume’s testimony the second witness, Sie Iyenome was called up who also explained to the court how he received the sum of $1m , changed it to naira equivalent and later paid it into the account of ARM.
Following the cross examination of both witnesses, Justice Abang adjourned the case till January 26 to allow the prosecution counsel present before the court all the witnesses he has lined up.
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