A Federal High Court in Abuja is to decide on whether or not the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, has case to answer with respect to the charges of fraud and money laundering instituted against him.
Metuh had after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission closed its case with eight witneses filed a no-case submission, praying for an order discharging and acquitting him.
Justice Okon Abang adjourned the case on Thursday after counsel representing the parties to the ccase adopted their written submissions for and against the no-case submission.
The EFCC is prosecuting Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited, on seven counts of alleged N400m fraud and money laundering.
The EFCC accused the defendants of fraudulently receiving from the Office of the National Security Adviser in November 2014 the sum of N400m meant for procurement of arm.
It also accused Metuh of money laundering involving offences $2m cash transaction.
The prosecution alleged that part of the N400m received from the ONSA was used by Metuh to fund the PDP’s presidential campaign for the 2015 election in which Jonathan was the party’s candidate.
At the hearing on Thursday, Metuh’s lawyer, Mr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), urged the court to discharge and acquit his client on the grounds that the prosecution had led no credible evidence linking him to the alleged crime.
But EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, maintained that the prosecution had led credible evidence through its eight witnesses and documents tendered before the court warranting the court to direct the defendants to “give their own side of the story”.
The judge then adjourned the case for either ruling or judgment depending on the merit or otherwise of the application by Metuh.
Justice Abang ruled, “The court will be adjourned for either ruling or judgment.
“If the no case application succeeds, the court will deliver judgment and the charge will be struck out; and the defendants will be discharged.
“In the event that the court overrules the application, then the court will deliver ruling dismissing the applicant’s no-case submission.
“The court, same day will calll on the defendants to enter their defence.
“In the light of this, this matter is hereby adjourned till March 9 for ruling or judgment as the case may be.”
After the prosecution closed its case, Metuh on February 18, sought and obtained the leave of court to file a no-case submission.
In the no-case submission, Metuh urged the court to discharge and acquit him on the grounds that the EFCC had made no case against him with the eight prosecution witnesses called and all the documents tendered.