SAN FRANCISCO, May 23, (THEWILL) – Justice Okon Abang of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Wednesday, said former spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, stage-managed his fall in the court room on Monday to stall his trial.
Justice Abang made the orders while ruling on applications by Metuh’s lawyer, Emeka Etiaba (SAN) and prosecution lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir.
Etiaba had, at the resumed proceedings in the case on Tuesday told the court that although his witnesses were in court and ready to testify, but that his client was absent in view of the incident of the previous day saying his client was on admission at the intensive care unit of the National Hospital, Abuja, where he was allegedly rushed to after he fell in court on Monday.
THEWILL recalls that Metuh, facing a seven-count charge before the court for alleged diversion of N400 million from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, fell while walking towards the dock on Monday.
When the case resumed, Metuh did not appear in court and his lawyers linked his absence to his health condition and applied for an indefinite adjournment of the trial but the prosecution objected to the application, following which the court adjourned until Wednesday to rule on it.
When the court resumed on Wednesday, Abang declared that the trial should continue, saying there is still no valid evidence before the court for the defendant’s absence declaring that Metuh did not collapse in the court room on Monday but rather fell on his own while walking towards the dock, after ignoring the directives of the court to sit for his trial.
“And while on the floor, he made series of groans which stopped the proceedings making the court room look like an accident scene,” the judge said.
“There was no attempt even by those he came with to raise him, which also delayed the proceeding for 29 minutes.
“However, the court doctor was not in the court to see what transpired, so how did she know there was an emergency?
“And as a court doctor, you are expected to have invitation to attend to emergencies, so who gave her the order and who is she to tell the court that the defendant was in need of medical attention?”
“It is a complete disregard and disobedience to the court and so the defendant has jumped bail, as there is no reasonable application for the defendant’s absence.
“And as such, the trial will continue 24th May 2018 by 1p.m,” he said.
