Appeal Court to rule on Metuh’s conviction on Wednesday

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has fixed Wednesday, December 16, to deliver judgment in three consolidated appeals challenging the verdict of the Federal High Court which convicted Olisa Metu, the ex-National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on February 25.

Metu is challenging his conviction at the appellant court, asking that his conviction be set aside, and his lawyers have been notified that the judgment would be delivered by the Justice Stephen Adah-led three-man panel of the Court of Appeal on Wednesday.

Two of the three consolidated appeals were filed separately by Metuh and his company, Destra Investment Limited, who were both convicted in the Federal High Court’s judgment.

Read also: PDP chieftain, Metuh, to spend 7 years in prison for money laundering

The third appeal was filed by former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col Sambo Dasuki, who was indicted in the same judgment for acting in “breach of public trust and paying proceeds of the alleged corrupt act to Metuh and his firm.”

On February 25, Justice Okoh Abang of the Federal High Court had convicted Metuh and sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment for money laundering charges, concealment and unlawful use of N400m allegedly paid to him and his firm by Dasuki in November 2014.

The Justice Adah panel had, on September 22, heard the three appeals, with Metuh, his firm, and Dasuki urging the court to set aside the judgment.

But the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), through its counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, urged the court to affirm the lower court’s verdict.

Dasuki, through his lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN), stated that “there are at least 10 findings made by the trial court holding him guilty of the predicate offence of corruption and criminal breach of trust.”

Dasuki added that though he was not a defendant in the Metuh’s trial, his conviction in the judgment without being given the opportunity to defend himself was a breach of his fundamental rights to fair hearing.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now