Metuh loses bid to transfer money laundering case

Efforts by the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh, to have his case transferred to another judge has been thwarted, as the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, has dismissed his petition against Justice Okon Abang.

Justice Auta, in his response to the petition, said it was too late in the day to reassign the case in which the prosecution had already called all its witnesses.

The Chief Judge’s letter, dated March 24, 2016 and signed by his Special Assistant, Mr. Ambrose Unaeze, was addressed to one of Metuh’s lawyers, Mr. Emeka Etiaba (SAN).

Metuh had in his petition, accused Justice Abang of bias in the handling of his case.The petition also claimed that the judge was a classmate of Metuh at the Nigerian Law School in the 1987/1988 set.

He also claimed that they both practised law in Lagos before the PDP spokesperson relocated to Abuja, and Justice Abang, on his part, was appointed a judge.

However, Justice Auta said the only option open to Metuh was to file an application asking Justice Abang to disqualify himself from further handling the case.

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Metuh, in line with the response of the Chief Judge, has file an application before the judge, asking him to disqualify himself from further presiding over the case and return the file to the Chief Judge.

The application is scheduled to be heard today, Friday.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had arraigned Metuh before Justice Abang on charges bordering on money laundering and receiving N400 million from the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

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