BEVERLY HILLS, October 24, (THEWILL) – Former President Goodluck Jonathan and his embattled National Security Adviser, NSA, Mohammed Sambo have been ordered to court on Wednesday to testify for the defence in the ongoing trial of ex-spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh.
Metuh had on Monday asked the court presided over by Justice Okon Abang to allow him call the former president as defence witness.
Abang issued the directive Tuesday despite the pending motion by Dasuki, challenging the witness summons issued on him, and the uncertainty over whether or not Jonathan has been served with the subpoena issued by the court on Monday.
At the resumption of proceedings in the trial of Metuh and his company, Destra Investment yesterday, Justice Abang took argument from lawyer to Dasuki, Ahmed Raji (SAN) and other lawyers in the case on the motion by ex-NSA.
While arguing his client’s motion, Raji contended that there was no way Dasuki would testify in Metuh’s trial without implicating himself because the issues in the case and the three pending charges against him (Dasuki) were interlinked.
Raji, prayed the court to set aside the subpoena issued on Dasuki or suspend the execution of the court summon until he (Dasuki) was released from prison.
Justice Abang however reserved ruling on Dasuki’s motion.
“The outcome of the ruling will determine which step to take about the first subpoena (issued on Dasuki), but the orders compelling His Excellency, former President Goodluck Jonathan, and Col. Sambo Dasuki, to appear in court on Wednesday, October 25, 2017 at the instance of the first defendant (Metuh) still stand.”
Metuh and Destra are being prosecuted by The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a seven-count charge of money laundering involving alleged cash transaction of $2m and fraudulent receipt of N400m meant for procurement of arms from the Office of the NSA.
The EFCC alleged in the charges that Metuh and his firm used the N400m for PDP’s campaign activities during the 2015 presidential election.
The N400m was alleged to be “part of the proceeds of an unlawful activities” of the immediate past NSA, Dasuki.
Metuh is however maintaining his innocence insisting that the funds he got were duly approved by the then president.
