Court Grants Metuh Fresh N600m Bail

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Friday granted bail to the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, in the sum of N300m with two sureties in like sum.

The total bail sum is N600m.

Metuh is already on remand in Kuje Prison by an order of a Federal High Court in Abuja with respect to charges of money laundering involving N400m, part of money meant for procurement of arms, which he collected from the Office of the National Security Adviser in November 2014.

Justice Ishaq Bello, before whom Metuh was on Thursday arraigned on two counts of destruction of evidence while in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for investigation into the money laundering case, granted fresh bail to the PDP spokesperson on Friday.

The judge ordered that the residences of the two sureties to be presented by the accused should be verified by filing of documents in that respect before the court.

The application for bail was not opposed by EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir.

While arguing the bail application orally on Friday, Metuh’s lawyer, Mr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), anchored the application on provisions of sections 158 and 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 as well as sections 35 and 36 of the Constitution.

The judge in his ruling agreed with the defence that the offences the accused was charged with were bailable and he was presumed innocent until proved guilty.

Metuh who was produced in court by prison officials on Friday is still in the process of fulfilling the N400m bail granted him by Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday.