Thursday, 18 February 2016

Arms Deal: Olisa Metuh Pleads Not Guilty To 7-Count Charge

Olisa Metuh

The embattled National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh on Thursday, February 18, pleaded not guilty to an amended seven-count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), at the Federal High Court, Abuja, Daily Post reports.

Mr Olisa Metuh: 

The Federal government through the anti-graft agency had filed a seven count charge of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering against him. The lawyer of the EFCC, Silvanus Tahir, during the trial, told the court that the prosecution has filed amended charges.

The prosecution then prayed the court to accept the amended charges saying “The charges are harmless and have in no way altered the original charges.
“We only crossed the ‘T’s and doted the ‘I’s.”
Mr Tahir also prayed the court to order the accused to take a fresh plea. The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, therefore ordered Metuh to take the fresh plea to the amended charges, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Mr. Metuh, who is facing trial for alleged money laundering, was arrested by Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, from his Abuja home on January 5, 2016.

He is being accused of collecting N400 million from a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki – the money was part of about $2.1 billion voted for arms purchase, but allegedly diverted by Mr. Dasuki.

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