Looters’ list: FG plotting to convict me at all cost – Metuh

A former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic
Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, has alleged that there is a secret plan
by the Federal Government to convict him of corruption.

Metuh, who is on trial before a Federal High Court sitting in
Abuja for alleged corruption, was among six members of the PDP
whose names were released by the Minister of Information and
Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, to be among those who allegedly
looted the treasury in 2015.

With the release of the names, Metuh accused the government of
breaching the Constitution

In a statement he personally signed in Abuja on Saturday titled
“My Reply To The Media Trial,” Metuh said the statement by Mohammed
had shown that he was facing two criminals trials on the same
charge.

He said, “By this publication, the Federal Government has
breached our constitution by seeking to burden me with two criminal
trials on the same charge, one before Justice Okon Abang and the
other before the media.

“The charge against me is that I received the sum of N400
million from the Office of the National Security Adviser to carry
out duties assigned to me as the then National Publicity Secretary
of the PDP by then President and Commander in Chief of the Armed
Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The major crux of the prosecution argument is that I ought to
have known that the money was a part of an alleged and yet to be
proven unlawful activity of Col Sambo Dasuki (retd), former NSA to
President Jonathan.

“The charge was brought regardless of the fact that neither
President Jonathan who gave me the assignment and directed the
release of the funds nor Col Dasuki (retd.), who effected the
release of the funds have ever been interrogated nor even
interviewed in this regard. As a matter of fact, officers of the
office of the National Security Adviser have testified in court
that the payment made to me followed all due process usually
observed in the establishment.

“In view of the weakness of the case against me, the APC-led
Federal Government resorted to all kinds of dirty tactics to
dehumanise and intimidate me.

“They have done everything humanly possible to ensure complete
persecution starting from bringing me to court in handcuffs (and
parading the capture of Nigeria’s most wanted) to media trials and
constant interference with my case.”

A former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic
Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, has alleged that there is a secret plan
by the Federal Government to convict him of corruption.

Metuh, who is on trial before a Federal High Court sitting in
Abuja for alleged corruption, was among six members of the PDP
whose names were released by the Minister of Information and
Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, to be among those who allegedly
looted the treasury in 2015.

With the release of the names, Metuh accused the government of
breaching the Constitution

In a statement he personally signed in Abuja on Saturday titled
“My Reply To The Media Trial,” Metuh said the statement by Mohammed
had shown that he was facing two criminals trials on the same
charge.

He said, “By this publication, the Federal Government has
breached our constitution by seeking to burden me with two criminal
trials on the same charge, one before Justice Okon Abang and the
other before the media.

“The charge against me is that I received the sum of N400
million from the Office of the National Security Adviser to carry
out duties assigned to me as the then National Publicity Secretary
of the PDP by then President and Commander in Chief of the Armed
Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The major crux of the prosecution argument is that I ought to
have known that the money was a part of an alleged and yet to be
proven unlawful activity of Col Sambo Dasuki (retd), former NSA to
President Jonathan.

“The charge was brought regardless of the fact that neither
President Jonathan who gave me the assignment and directed the
release of the funds nor Col Dasuki (retd.), who effected the
release of the funds have ever been interrogated nor even
interviewed in this regard. As a matter of fact, officers of the
office of the National Security Adviser have testified in court
that the payment made to me followed all due process usually
observed in the establishment.

“In view of the weakness of the case against me, the APC-led
Federal Government resorted to all kinds of dirty tactics to
dehumanise and intimidate me.

“They have done everything humanly possible to ensure complete
persecution starting from bringing me to court in handcuffs (and
parading the capture of Nigeria’s most wanted) to media trials and
constant interference with my case.”