Court fixes June 22 for retrial of ex-PDP spokesperson, Olisa Methu over alleged N400m fraud
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday, May 30, fixed June 22 for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to restart the trial of a former National publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh.
Metuh was charged with seven charges of money laundering by the anti-graft agency in 2016, after allegedly collecting N400 million from the National Security Adviser’s office.
The former PDP spokesperson was found guilty of all counts of money laundering and sentenced to seven years in jail by Okon Abang, a Federal high court judge, on February 25, 2020.
Metuh filed an appeal in March 2020, after being dissatisfied with the court’s judgment.
As part of the 10 issues raised for determination by the appellate court, Metuh argued that he was not given a fair trial, and claimed that the trial judge was biased, based on some of the things he said throughout the trial, according to reports.
A three-member panel of justices agreed that the trial judge showed bias against Methu while delivering judgment on December 16, 2020.
Consequently, he was released from prison on December 24, 2020.
Metuh’s case file was reassigned to Emeka Nwite in accordance with the court of appeal’s order, allowing the defendant to take a fresh plea.
