By Gideon Njoku
Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, was right. Indeed, he gave an inkling to what to expect when he would rise at the end of what turned out to be a sad day for Chief Olisa Metuh, the immediate past National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, his family, his friends, associates and the PDP family which he vibrantly served.
When Okon entered the Court, just a little past 9.00am to deliver the much anticipated judgement in Metuh’s case, Okon had said that he only knew when he was starting to read the judgement, but wouldn’t know when it would end. He did well not to have added that he wouldn’t know how it would end. Because he knew.
He knew it was going to be the day of the long knives. He knew he was going to break hearts. He knew that Metuh’s life would never be the same.
In fact, his life has not been the same since he was arrested by the Economic Financial and Crimes Commission, EFCC, which charged him and his company, Destra Investments with corruption.
Metuh’s arrest and trial were marked by drama, drama that could make Nollywood green with envy.
While on interrogation at the EFCC detention centre, Metuh was alleged to have torn and chewed a statement he had written.
When he was finally released from that custody, he came out looking different. He was sporting bushy beards, which from then on became his trademark.
Once, he had collapsed in the open court. And, on more than one occasion, he was carried to court on a stretcher.
The EFCC, had, among other things, alleged that Metuh received the sum of N400million from the office of the former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, for the prosecution of the 2015 Presidential election, a sum Metuh said was approved for him by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He was also accused of laundering some of the money, and did a transaction in cash worth the sum of $2 million without going through a financial institution, thus running foul of the money laundering law.
Metuh’s trial lasted the whole of four years, and finally climaxed on Tuesday, February 25.
For the period the trial lasted, Metuh fought like a wounded lion to keep himself out of jail. He threw everything in, including an offer to refund the N400m taken from the former NSA’s office.
But the EFCC was not persuaded to give in. It insisted on continuing with the prosecution, rebuffing all overtures.
When Metuh arrived the Court for the judgement, spotting a navy blue native attire, he looked calm and collected. A smile played in his lips every now and then.
When he was found guilty of the first of the seven count charges brought against him, his countenance remained the same. For the over four hours it lasted, it was the same. Justice Okon’s voice never changed either.
One by one, he was found guilty of all the charges, including transacting with cash worth $2 million without going through a financial institution.
Counts 1, 2, 4 and seven, attracted a-seven year jail term, each. Count 3 attracted five years, while counts 5 and 6 attracted three years each.
But the sentences are to run concurrently.
Metuh was also fined a whooping sum of N375million , while Destra was fined N25million.
Okon also ordered the accounts of Destra, domiciled in Diamond bank closed while the asset of another company, also associated with Metuh, Resource Management be closed, and forfeited to the Federal Government.
Metuh’s conviction on the N400m from the NSA’s office has raised some questions. It was approved for him, allegedly, by the then President who asked him to pick it from the NSA’s office. But Okon said that Metuh ought to have known that the money was a product of crime. Not a few are asking: how?
They are also asking if it was possible for him to have disobeyed a presidential order, or simply ignored the President? How was he to know the money was a product of crime?
Is his conviction a subtle indictment of Jonathan? And, has Sambo Dasuki been indirectly found guilty?
At the time of writing this, the PDP was yet to react. Perhaps, the leadership of the party is still in shock.
For now, it is one up for the EFCC. It is another high profile case won. Hardwork rewarded.
Metuh is most likely to appeal his conviction. But for now, he stays in jail, putting a dramatic end to the four-year drama.
