BEVERLY HILLS, January 21, (THEWILL) – More trouble has come the way of the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday arraigned him before an FCT High Court, Maitama in Abuja, on charges bordering on destruction of evidence.
Only two days ago, the Peoples Democratic Party spokesman was granted bail by the Federal High Court in Abuja with respect to a seven-count criminal charges of laundering N400m, said to be part of funds meant for procurement of arms which he allegedly collected from the office of the National Security Adviser in November 2014.
He is however being remand at the Kuje prison, pending when he would fulfill the bail conditions imposed on him by Justice Okon Abang of the court.
But at the FCT High Court on Thursday, Metuh, who allegedly destroyed his statement which he made under caution to EFCC detectives, pleaded not guilty to the two counts.
The PDP spokesperson is alleged to have torn his written statement and attempted to swallow it while he was being investigated for the money laundering case. The prosecution noted that the offences contravened sections 166 and 326 of the Penal Code Act.
The Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Ishaq Bello, before who is the case, ordered that the accused be further remanded in prison and adjourned hearing of his application for bail till Monday.
Meanwhile, Metuh was again brought to court by prison warders in handcuffs despite criticisms had trailed the decision of the officials of Nigeria Prison Service, NPS, to restrain him in handcuffs when he appeared at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday.
His party, the PDP, had lamented the manner that its spokesman was presented at the court, stressing that his wearing of handcuffs was a deliberate attempt by the Federal Government to intimidate him and embarrass the party.
