Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisah Metuh, and his firm, Destra Investments Limited, have been sentenced to seven years in prison. This was after he was found guilty of count one, two and three of the seven-count charge levelled against them by the Federal Government. Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, convicted the two defendants yesterday.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had instituted the charge against Metuh and his company for alleged money laundering to the tune of N400 million. Ruling on the first count charge, Justice Abang held that the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, unlawfully transferred the N400 million to the defendants in November 2014.
The judge maintained that Metuh and his firm reasonably ought to have known that the N400 million paid to them formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity of the former NSA since they had no form of contractual relationship with him. According to the judge, Dasuki transferred the money to the defendants in breach of public trust.
The judge said: “The issue is whether or not the first defendant has actual knowledge or constructive knowledge or no knowledge at all of the inflow of N400 million from ONSA to the second defendant.
If Metuh knows of the inflow of the N400m into the account of the second defendant controlled by him without any contract, then he should have been conscious of receiving such fund. I have my doubt if the first defendant is telling the court the truth in this matter. It is my humble view and firm view that on the 24th November 2014, the first defendant had actual knowledge of the inflow of N400 million into the account of the second defendant.
“I have my doubt if the former President could have authorised N400 million public fund just on verbal approval and even to a first defendant that was not official person but a member of a political party. And upon being told of the inflow of N400 million by Prosecution Witness 4, why did he fail to confront the bank for not alerting him? And I agree that the first defendant turned a blind eye to receiving the fund. The defendant could have known that Dasuki did so in breach of public trust. Both the first and second defendants are found guilty and convicted in count one”, Abang ruled.
On count two of the charges, Justice Abang held that the prosecution had advanced evidence that the first defendant had used the said amount for a PDP campaign. “I have my doubt if the former president could have engaged the first defendant, a member of the PDP working committee to handle issue of national security. The consultant that the Metuh claimed carried out the public enlightenment showed, in fact, that the money was used to fund the political activities of the PDP to brighten the image of the party.”
According the judge, saying that it was for security purposes was to divert the attention of the court because there was no contract between the ONSA and the second defendant. “With evidence placed before me, I am inclined to believe the evidence of the prosecution witness that the first defendant tore the third page of the extra judicial statement made to EFCC where the prosecution claimed that the money received from ONSA was used for the PDP campaign. It is my view that the missing original third sheet where the first defendant claimed that he used the N400 million for PDP campaign was destroyed.
“This cannot be a cock and bull story meant for entertainment. Rather, it is a serious issue that concerns the credibility of the first defendant where he destroyed a confessional statement he made that the 400 million he received from ONSA was to fund the political campaign of the PDP,” the judge held.
He also agreed with the counsel to the prosecution that the money was disbursed for the campaign of the PDP. With this, he found both the first and second defendants guilty and convicted them for count two. The defendants were also convicted on count three.
