Arms scam: Court sets date to rule on Metuh’s no-case-submission

The Federal High Court, Abuja on Thursday reserved ruling till March 9 on a no-case-submission filed by Olisa Metuh, the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Metuh filed a no-case-submission in the alleged money laundering charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The Judge, Justice Okon Abang, reserved the date after counsel to the parties adopted their written addresses.
Abang said the court’s mandate to either give ruling or deliver judgment on the motion would depend on the merit of the submissions.
“In the circumstance, the court can only rule if the motion fails and if the motion succeeds the court can only deliver judgment,” he said
He said if the motion fails, the defendants would open their cases, but if they succeed, it means striking out the charges and discharging and acquitting the defendants.
According to Abang, depending on which of the two scenarios play out, the court will have to adjourn its decision till March 9.
Earlier, Dr. Onyechi Ikeazu (SAN), Counsel to Metuh and Destra Investment Limited, argued that the motion became necessary as no prima facie was established against Metuh and his company by the prosecution.
Ikpeazu further argued that the prosecution did not establish the essential elements of the offences brought against his clients.
“My Lord, this situation renders the case against my clients manifestly unreliable,” he said.
On his part, however, Sylvanus Tahir, the prosecuting counsel, said the prosecution had place essential oral and documentary evidence to warrant the defendants open their defences.
Tahir said: “We want Metuh to explain the alleged role he played in the illegal diversion of N400 million meant for the procurement of arms.
“My Lord, the EFCC by preponderance of evidence, establishes that about $2.1 billion meant for the procurement of arms was diverted by retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki.
“Metuh, through his company, Destra Investment Limited, was alleged to have pocketed N400 million out of that funds.
“The fund was alleged to have been electronically wired from an account of the Office of the National Security Adviser to Metuh’s Diamond Bank account no. 0040437573.”
NAN.