#DasukiGate: Court To Rule On Metuh’s “No-Case” Submission March 9

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Thursday, February 25th, 2016

By Ganiyu Nasirudeen

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned the ruling till Wednesday, March 9, 2016 on “no-case” submission filed by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh.

Metuh is prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged money laundering involving the sum of N400 Million as well as another $2 Million cash through his private company, Dextra Investments Ltd.

The sums were collected from the office former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd). They were also part of the money meant for arms procurement to fight Boko Haram insurgents in the North Eastern Nigeria.

The embattled PDP National Publicist’s Counsel Mr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (‎SAN), last Thursday, when he was expected to commence the defendant’s defence, instead, filed a “no-case” submission, claiming that his client, given the evidences by the prosecutor’s witnesses, has no link to the alleged sharp practices. He then requested Justice Okon Abang either to make an oral or written application in the same regard.

The Judge after ruling on written application subsequently adjourned the hearing till today.

At the hearing, Mr. Ikpeazu prayed the court to discharge and acquit Metuh as he argued the plaintiff and its witnesses had no credible evidence linking him to the alleged crime.

But EFCC’s Conusel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, countered the application, contending that the prosecution had no led credible evidence through its eight witnesses and documents presented before the court, therefore the need for the court to order the suspect to respond to the allegations raised against him and his company.

Consequently, after adopting their written submissions, Justice Abang in his preliminary ruling held: “If the no case application succeeds, the court will deliver judgment and the charges will be struck out; hence, the defendants will be discharged.

Otherwise, he held that in the event that the court overrules the application, then the court would deliver ruling dismissing the applicant’s no-case submission.

Justice Abang after, adjourned the ruling proper on the application till Thursday, March 9, 2016.