The account of an organisation, Destra Investment Limited, allegedly linked to the spokesman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh may be frozen when the ongoing $2.1 billion arms probe gets to a “convenient bend,” Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is suggesting.
It was revealed that detectives of the anti-graft agency probing the $2.1 billion arms contracts have traced N1.4billion to the account of the PDP chieftain’s company.
Currently, EFCC has placed the activities of the company and its bank transactions under surveillance while the Department of State Security Service (DSSS) has also invited Metuh for interaction on some issues.
EFCC detectives found out that Destra Investment Limited was used to fund the PDP’s activities, including its 2015 campaign, a source close to the EFCC said.
The EFCC found that the company, which had N6, 676,576.06 as at November 24, 2014, recorded a balance of N1.4billion by last December.
Some of the strange deposits in the account are: N400million from the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) on November 24th, 2014; N253million ( December 2nd and 4th, 2014) from Ibrahim Kabiru whose identity was yet to be confirmed; N91million on 2nd December 2014 from Capital Field Investment; and N92million on 3rd December 2014 from Etonye Oyintoneife.
The source also revealed that EFCC will soon invite Metuh to clarify some of the transactions of the firm.
The source said: “By December 2015, the owner of Destra had a turnover of over N1.4billion. There is no document to show that the company executed any job for ONSA. All companies engaged by ONSA appeared before the initial Special Investigative Panel raised by the Presidency.
“Other documents indicated that Metuh was allegedly on a monthly unexplained stipend of N4million cash from ONSA.
“Out of the funds in Destra account, N25million was paid to Abba Dabo, a former Senior Special Assistant Political to former Vice President Namadi Sambo on the 16th of December 2014.
“Also, about N21,776,000 was remitted on 4th December 2014 to an account allegedly belonging to a former Minister of Works, Chief Tony Anenih; N31.5million to his media aide and N50 million to Metuh/Kanayo on the same transaction date.
“We have also established a link between Capital Field Investment and SEI Societe d’equipments Internanaux-Niamey-Niger BP 11737 which was hired by ONSA to purchase €3,654,121million security vehicles for the Republic of Niger in October 2013 and April 2014.”
However, the PDP spokesman has accused the EFCC of subjecting him to media trial. But the EFCC source is claiming that the issue is in public domain only to allow people to understand the perspective in the case.
The source said: “You will recall that the EFCC did not talk about the ongoing probe until Metuh openly admitted that he got some funds from ex-President Goodluck Jonathan but he refused to disclose the amount and the purpose.
“When he was aware that this commission was closing in on him, he also said some forces were after him. We refused to join the political fray because we are a professional agency.
“But we owe Nigerians a duty to reveal the facts at our disposal to let them appreciate the extent of what we are doing. EFCC is not out to witch-hunt anybody or group; we will, however, recover all traceable funds meant for arms.”
There was disquiet in PDP following Metuh’s invitation by the DSS.
It was learnt that the invitation had to do with payment of about N9m-N10million to the Anambra State chapter of PDP about five years ago.
Reacting to the issue, a PDP chieftain commented that the APC government is just out to silence Metuh at all cost, saying all the allegations were just whipped up against him.
Nigerian Media Giving Me A Bad Name, Metuh Alleges
However,National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, is not happy that his name has been linked to the alleged financial atrocity of some members of the party during the government of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
Currently, some prominent Nigerians including former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, are being prosecuted and reports recently claimed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are investigating Metuh too.
Metuh particularly expressed reservations at the report of his link to the allegation in the Newspapers, suggesting that he is under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“This office wishes to state categorically that the EFCC has never invited the National Publicity Secretary nor questioned him on any matter whatsoever since its inception.
“If indeed, the report is from the EFCC, then they should note that only in a period of tyranny are people investigated on the pages of the newspapers as a prelude for abuse and violation of their freedom and rights under the law.
“It is instructive to observe that a mere media campaign of calumny does not in anyway whatsoever translate to any evidence of guilt. It is rather an evidence of infringement on the rights of the citizenry and manifestation of the reign of tyranny.
“In a democratic and civilised country, where there are issues that require investigations by such agencies, invitations are duly extended. However, to read daily of people being investigated in select newspapers betrays plots to portray them as guilty of fraud and crime, and targeted to convey the PDP as a corrupt party and the APC as party of Nigerians without sin.
“If we now have a system where citizens get to be investigated, tried and executed by planting stories in select newspapers, wherein then lies the need for our judicial process?
“Finally, we do hope that all concerned will be guided by due process at all times,” a statement signed on behalf of Metuh by Richard Ihediwa, his Special Assistant, said.
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