THE former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, on Thursday narrated to the Federal High Court in Abuja of his ordeal in the hand of operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), while in their detention.
Metuh, while being led in evidence by his counsel, Emeka Etiaba (SAN) told the trial Judge, Justice Okon Abang that he was detained at the underground cell of the EFCC for 11 days, when he refused to disclose the disbursement of the N400 million that was paid into his account by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for national assignment.
He said, even though he confirmed to the EFCC that the money was paid into the account of his company, Destra Investments Limited, he refused to disclose the names of the people given the money to execute the project for which the money was given.
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He said, “I refused to give names because, at that time, the EFCC was in the habit of arresting people and leaking their statement to newspapers.
“I believe that the EFCC wanted to get the names or account of how the money was disbursed, just to ridicule my party and any other person involved in that assignment”.
According to Metuh, in his evidence, EFCC operatives were very respectful throughout the investigation until he refused to give them the names of the people who received money from the N400 million.
He said he was willing to refund the money if the EFCC were able to confirm to him that the money was wrongly or unlawfully paid into his account.
“The N400 million was received for national assignment and that the people we used to execute that assignment did so, believing that they were handling a lawful assignment”, he said.
The former PDP spokesman told the court that EFCC lied against him that he chewed the statement he wrote and added that the anti-graft agency had damaged his credibility and had turned him into an object of mockery.
“As at the time I was charged to court, EFCC, through their media trial, has posted me as one of Nigeria’s most corrupt man and one of those destroying the country and Nigeria’s most dangerous criminal”.
He said that explained why he was bought to court in handcuffs at the back of a Hilux car.
Justice Okon adjourned further trial till today.
Metuh is standing trial along with his company, Destra Investments Limited, on a seven-count charge, for allegedly receiving N400 million from the former NSA, Col Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (Rtd).
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