A former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, has been found guilty and convicted of seven counts filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court on Tuesday in Abuja passed this verdict.
Metuh was arraigned by the Federal Government in 2016 over allegations of unlawfully receiving N400m from the office of the then National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
Metuh is being prosecuted by the EFCC, alongside his company, Destra Investment, on a seven-count charge of diversion of the money received when Sambo Dasuki was the National Security Adviser.
He was also accused of transacting with the sum of $2 million without going through a financial institution, in violation of a provision of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
Metuh had on February 18, pleaded not guilty to the amended seven-count charge preferred against him by the EFCC.
While delivering his judgement, Justice Abang said that “I have my doubts if the first defendant is telling the truth in this matter”.
The judge said that Metuh must have received a bank alert notifying him of the transaction. The prosecution had also tendered the notice of alert (exhibit D28) as evidence before the court.
“It is in my firm view that as at November 24, 2014, the first defendant had actual knowledge of the inflow from ONSA in the account of the second defendant,” the judge held.
“I think the prosecution has proved the ingredients as regards count one.”
“The first defendant is hereby found guilty of count one and accordingly convicted,” Justice Abang ruled.
In respect to count one- seven years, on count two -7years, on count three -5years, on count four-7years, on count five- 3years and the second defendant shall pay N25 million, on count six -3years and second defendant shall pay N25 million and finally on count seven -7years in prison, with effect from Tuesday.
The judge said the terms of prison shall run concurrently.
The judge further held that the convict shall pay the sum of N375million to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Abang said the enrollment of judgement order shall be served.
