Dasuki says he’s in turmoil, doesn’t want to implicate self testifying in Metuh’s case

Former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), has said that he is currently in a state of turmoil and would not want to implicate himself testifying in the trial of ex-national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh.

An earlier prayer by Metuh to the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court Abuja, to allow Dasuki testify in his trial was rejected by the judge.

However, the Appeal Court in its judgment on the matter overruled Justice Abang and directed that the trial judge should order the Department of State Security (DSS), in whose custody Dasuki has been, to make the former NSA available to testify in the matter.

But counsel to Dasuki, Ahmed Raji, SAN, on Monday notified the judge that he had filed an application against his client testifying in the matter.

When the case resumed in court on Tuesday, Raji explained that the reason Dasuki does not want to testify in the trial was because it will be wrong for him to appear as Metuh’s witness having been already branded as an accomplice in the charge.

He further told the court that the former NSA would not mount the witness box to implicate himself, especially as he was yet to receive a copy of the subpoena the court issued to compel his attendance in the matter.

He added that Dasuki’s state of mind “is currently in turmoil because of the protracted unlawful detention by the Department of State Service.”

This is coming just as Justice Abang on Tuesday confirmed that he had also summoned former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear on Wednesday to give evidence in the matter.

READ ALSO: $2M FRAUD TRIAL: Court grants Metuh’s plea, orders Jonathan to testify Wednesday

Metuh and his firm, Destra Investment Limited, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a seven-count charge bordering on alleged reception of N400 million from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), before the 2015 presidential election, without executing any contract.

EFCC is claiming that the fund which was given to Metuh and his firm by Dasuki on the order of former President Jonathan was part of about $2.1 billion earmarked for the purchase of arms to fight insurgency in the North East.

By Ebere Ndukwu …

 

 

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