Ade Adesomoju, Abuja

 

A former Political Adviser to the ex-Vice President, Namadi Sambo, Abba Dabo, on Thursday told a Federal High Court in Abuja that he returned to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission the sum of N25m paid to him by the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, for the party’s media publicity works.

Dabo, who was testifying as the seventh prosecution witness against Metuh, said he returned the money on his own volition in January 2016 due to media publications indicating that it was sourced from funds meant for procurement of arms.

He said the N25m was paid to him through Metuh’s firm, Destra Investment Limited’s account, on December 16, 2014, five days after former President Goodluck Jonathan and Sambo emerged as the PDP’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the party at the party’s nomination convention.

The witness, who is a past newspapers’ editor and was the Chief Press Secretary to former President Shehu Shagari, said he decided to return the money to the EFCC because he could not reach Metuh, who was then in the custody of the anti-graft agency.

The PDP chief said, “Unfortunately, there were reports in the media, on this transaction with Chief Metuh linking it to controversial circumstances. I mean it was identified that Chief Metuh paid the N25m to my account through his company and that the source of the money was from the arms deal that was being discussed generally in the country.

“As a result of that publication, we thought we needed to explain, and because it was paid to my personal account , in my name, I decided to make a refund, and  I paid it to EFCC, because I couldn’t reach Mr. Metuh that particular time.

“The newspapers were awash with the story that linked the money given to me to the arms money that was said to have been diverted to other uses by the Office of the National Security Adviser. On my own volition, I decided that the the best way out of the rigmarole was to pay back the amount. I paid it back to EFCC.”

The EFCC is prosecuting Metuh and Destra Investments Limited, on seven counts of fraudulent collection of N400m from the Office of the National Security Adviser on November 22, 2014 and money laundering involving cash transaction to the tune of $2m.

The prosecution alleged that the N400m which Metuh got from the NSA office and used for PDP’s campaign activities was “part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity” of the immediate past NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd).

Dabo said on Thursday that with the N25m which he got from Metuh in the build-up to the 2015 presidential election, he helped to mitigate and counter negative media reports against the then Jonathan-led government and the PDP.

He said used the money to run the Media Support System which he had set up to boost the PDP’s media profile‎  in response to “vicious attacks” from Hausa radio stations and criticisms from the Nigerian media as well as the social media.

He said he also set up a team of facilitators and young Information Technology enthusiasts, who were active on the Internet to run a website, ‘What’s Up Naija’.

He added, “From the money we received from Chief Metuh, we paid salaries and allowances of facilitators, bought equipment and computers for the young people working on What’s Up Naija.

“We even paid that year’s rent for our office at 12B Deb Street, Off Danube Street in Maitama, Abuja. We also used that office to monitor the election.”

Dabo, who described Metuh as “a loyal party man, dedicated, strong and outspoken person”, said he however, chose to refund the money to the EFCC following media reports linking the money to the botched purchase of arms.

“I decided to refund the money not only because it was from the NSA Office, but also because it was linked to the botched arms purchase deal,” Dabo said‎.

But the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, on Thursday upheld an objection raised by the defence to the admissibility of ‎documents relating to the activities of the What’s Up Naija and Media Support System as well as the tenancy agreement for the office used by the campaign platforms.

The judge rejected the documents relating to the two campaign platforms because, being computer-generated they did not meet the standard set out in Section 84(1) (a) to (c) of the Evidence Act,  and the tenancy agreement because the prosecution failed to lay proper foundation as to why it tendered the photocopy instead of the original.

Under cross-examination by the defence counsel, Mr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), Dabo confirmed that he considered the refund of the money “absolutely important”, and that he made the refund to EFCC through three bank drafts.

“I wrote a letter to the EFCC attaching three bank drafts with a cover letter acknowledging that the Chief Olisa Metuh, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, gave N25m to me on December 16, 2014 for the purposes of publicity campaign which was paid by WhatsApp naija and Media Support System,” he said.

He said he did not mention the refund in his statement made to the EFCC on January 6, 2016 “because I needed to go to the bank the next day and make necessary arrangement”.

Fielding more questions from Ikpeazu, the witness confirmed that he was at Metuh’s home in Gudu area of Abuja on the day he was arrested while trying to find out the source of the campaign money from him.

 

“Up till now I have not have the chance of meeting with him,” the witness said.

 

He confirmed that former President Jonathan, the Federal Government and the PDP benefited “immensely” from the media works Metuh engaged him for.

Metuh attended the proceedings from home on Thursday, without handcuffs and prison officials around him.

Thursday was his first court appearance after he met his bail conditions and was released from prison.

Decked in a black suit with a pair of eye glasses, his gray beards which were left to grow during his 13 days of detention, had been shaved clean.

Like the previous court sessions, a battery of women party faithful in PDP customised wrappers, relatives and friends, filled all available spaces in the court room.

After the court proceedings on Thursday, they surrounded and accompanied Metuh to a waiting Prado jeep which later drove him away.

Justice Abang adjourned till Monday for further trial.

 http://www.punchng.com/i-returned-metuhs-n25m-to-efcc-sambos-ex-aide-tells-court/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Metuh the first victim of armsgate.

And one high chief Redmond told his wailers community that armsgate is just a lie.

Already the prosecution team is presenting evidence that does not meet the standards of the evidence act.

Don't be surprised if Metuh walks free.

How can an organization as critical as EFCC keep on employing lawyers that are substandard?

Keyamo made so much noise and he could not secure high profile convictions
For almost ten years now, Chief Rotimi Jacobs has been prosecuting EFCC cases. I don't know how many top dogs he has successfully prosecuted.
Efcc should get the best defense attorneys and pay them the going rate this criminals pay to get out of jail.

Wailers, food is ready.

Psalm18:
Already the prosecution team is presenting evidence that does not meet the standards of the evidence act.

Don't be surprised if Metuh walks free

Keep dreaming

Thank God for Card reader!!!

Kyase:

Keep dreaming

You think the judge will sentence metuh based on media trials and judgement passed on nairaland..
Wake up from dreaming..the law courts don't work that way.
You present hard evidence,
You get reliable witnesses
You ensure there is no doubt in the mind of the judge
It's a dogged battle

Fani kayode was convicted on pages of newspaper. He is free today.
Ibori was set free in a Nigeria court. Dariye has been in court for over ten years now.

We all heard on the phone, the voice of farouk lawan asking for bribe. I believe he is still a senator today
So many others.

Psalm18:
Already the prosecution team is presenting evidence that does not meet the standards of the evidence act.

Don't be surprised if Metuh walks free.

How can an organization as critical as EFCC keep on employing lawyers that are substandard?

Keyamo made so much noise and he could not secure high profile convictions
For almost ten years now, Chief Rotimi Jacobs has been prosecuting EFCC cases. I don't know how many top dogs he has successfully prosecuted.
Efcc should get the best defense attorneys and pay them the going rate this criminals pay to get out of jail.

You have a point. However, where the judiciary is not corrupt, corruption cases against the state and national interest will almost always be won by the state, not by the criminals irrespective of how brilliant their lawyers are.

This anti corruption war is bringing more money to Nigeria compared to oyel

DropShot:

You have a point. However, where the judiciary is not corrupt, corruption cases against the state and national interest will almost always be won by the state, not by the criminals irrespective of brilliant their lawyers are.

That's true..but they are creative ways of securing convictions despite the prevailing political atmosphere.

It's not enough for president Buhari to say the judiciary are the main problem.
I bet you EFCC is complicit in the way and manner most of these top shots win their cases.
If I had told you two years back, Lamorde was stealing recovered money, most of you will doubt it.

I have a strong theory, after the show EFCC puts up for Nigerians by parading this guys in cuffs during the day, at night, both set of lawyers meet and get 'settlement' and then turn around to blame judges.
A judge will not convict based on circumstantial evidence...this is a criminal case not a civil case.

1.dariye
1.orji uzor
3.Ibori
4. Ladoja
5.audu
6.Fani kayode
7.lucky
8.Tinubu
9.Abdullahi adamu of nasarawa
10.el rufai as bpe director general

Of the top of my head, these are ten cases. The Nigeria state could not secure convictions. The coincidence is too much to just blame judges

E no go ever better for PDP and IPOB terrorists youths.

Psalm18:


You think the judge will sentence metuh based on media trials and judgement passed on nairaland..
Wake up from dreaming..the law courts don't work that way.
You present hard evidence,
You get reliable witnesses
You ensure there is no doubt in the mind of the judge
It's a dogged battle

Fani kayode was convicted on pages of newspaper. He is free today.
Ibori was set free in a Nigeria court. Dariye has been in court for over ten years now.

We all heard on the phone, the voice of farouk lawan asking for bribe. I believe he is still a senator today
So many others.

All this happened during the ineffectual buffoon
In case you have forgotten, Buhari is the president now

[/i]The judge rejected the documents relating to the two campaign platforms because, being computer-generated they did not meet the standard set out in Section 84(1) (a) to (c) of the Evidence Act, and the tenancy agreement because the prosecution failed to lay proper foundation as to why it tendered the photocopy instead of the original [i]

How can EFCC make such a school boy error.
Even second year law students in moot courts understand the evidence act

Kyase:


All this happened during the ineffectual buffoon
In case you have forgotten, Buhari is the president now

You are so blinded by APC/PDP divide you forget Buhari is not a judge.
Are you reading today's news as to EFCC making a fundamental mistake in presenting its evidence.
Evidence is a key component of criminal trial.
You should be more appaled that under Buhari, EFCC is still prosecuting cases using Jonathan era lawyers.

Psalm18:

That's true..but they are creative ways of securing convictions despite the prevailing political atmosphere.

It's not enough for president Buhari to say the judiciary are the main problem.
I bet you EFCC is complicit in the way and manner most of these top shots win their cases.
If I had told you two years back, Lamorde was stealing recovered money, most of you will doubt it.

I have a strong theory, after the show EFCC puts up for Nigerians by parading this guys in cuffs during the day, at night, both set of lawyers meet and get 'settlement' and then turn around to blame judges.
A judge will not convict based on circumstantial evidence...this is a criminal case not a civil case.

1.dariye
1.orji uzor
3.Ibori
4. Ladoja
5.audu
6.Fani kayode
7.lucky
8.Tinubu
9.Abdullahi adamu of nasarawa
10.el rufai as bpe director general

Of the top of my head, these are ten cases. The Nigeria state could not secure convictions. The coincidence is too much to just blame judges

Right. But again, we all know our judges are anything but last hope for the common man and the state.

Psalm18:
.
A judge will not convict based on circumstantial evidence...this is a criminal case not a civil case.

This statement shows you do not know what you are talking about.

Another lily-livered coward been coerced by the EFCC and Buhari to give undue substance to the so-called "$2.1b Arms Money".

My friend, the money you collected was for the image laundering of the then sitting government just the way APC governors used their state funds to finance Buhari's election.

The money was never meant for Arms. Simple!

ISpiksDaTroof:
This statement shows you do not know what you are talking about.

Circumstantial evidence alone..
I meant to say.

Psalm18:

Circumstantial evidence alone..
I meant to say.

Whatever you meant to say, you were wrong. Even this new statement reiterates that fact.

Metuh is being witch-hunt in his fond. Quote me, Pdp is behind Metuh's current troubles and he will be the first to fall.