BEVERLY HILLS, November 03, (THEWILL) – A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has thrown out an application by former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki seeking a postponement of the hearing of the trial of a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, owing to his inability to remember details of the sum of N400m allegedly paid to Metuh.
THEWILL recalls that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had alleged in some of the seven counts preferred against Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited that the ex-PDP spokesperson fraudulently received the sum of N400m from Dsauki without any justification and spent same on the party and personal affairs.
Dasuki had pleaded in court that he couldn’t remember if he gave N400million to Olisa Metuh, blaming it on his loss of memory and he needed time to recall the decisions he took as those things he could remember were little details of his days as the NSA asking for more time for him to recall the things he did as he would have better assess to his documents and check if he approved such amount.
However, Justice Utah Abang rejected his application claiming the documents Dasuki hopes to consult as reminders are not being used in the court as evidence, hence they lacked a merit.
“This application for adjournment lacks merit, same is accordingly refused,” Justice Abang insisted.
Thus, Dasuki, Metuh’s eighth defence witness, fielded questions under cross-examination by the counsel prosecuting Metuh on behalf of the EFCC.
He said he could not remember if the ONSA under his watch had relations with Destra Investments Limited, the company, through which Metuh allegedly received the N400m from ONSA in 2014.
When shown and asked to confirm the content of the e-payment mandate earlier tendered as exhibit in the case and on which his name and signature appeared, authorising the payment of N400m, Dasuki said, “My name has been typed out there.”
Asked to read out the purpose of the payment as contained in the “e-payment mandate,” the ex-NSA said, “the purpose of payment: payment for security services.”
Then the prosecuting counsel, asked, “What services did the company, Destra Investments Limited, the second defendant render to entitle the company, the payment of N400m.”
In response, the Dasuki said, :If you want an answer, I still have to refer to my records. It would be useful for the counsel to make himself familiar with the NSA Act.”
The case was then adjourned until December 4 to entertain the defence’s next witness, billed to be former President Goodluck Jonathan.
