Metu insists court should invite Jonathan over his N400m fraud case

Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Oliseh Metuh, on Tuesday September 24, insisted that the Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice O.E. Abang should invite former President Goodluck Jonathan to give evidence in his ongoing trial.

The Head of Media and Publicity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Wilson Uwujaren in a statement on Tuesday said Metu is facing prosecution by the EFCC alongside his company, Destra Investment on seven-count charges, bordering on money laundering to the tune of N400million (Four Hundred Million Naira), which he allegedly received from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, in 2014 under Sambo Dasuki as National Security Adviser without justification.

Metuh while on cross-examination today said “the payment of N400 million was made by the former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. This is because I made a presentation and he informed that he will make funds available for the prosecution of that national assignment and he even called me to tell me that the N400million has been paid. I do not expect the President to be an agent of any individual or organ of his office, but I do know that he has a lot of aides that handle matters relating to different aspects,” he said.

Metuh reminded the court that he applied for former President Jonathan to be subpoenaed to give evidence concerning his claim that he was authorized by the ex-president but that the court ignored him, restating that the court should subpoenaed Jonathan to come and give evidence in the matter.

He revealed during cross-examination, that Mike Ozekhome, the then lawyer to Jonathan told him that he needed to pay about N1.2billion (One Billion Two Hundred Million Naira) as for Jonathan’s transportation and to guarantee his security, before he could come to the court.