BREAKING: Court Convicts Olisah Metuh On Money Laundering Charges

Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisah Metuh has been convicted for money laundering by the Federal High Court Abuja.

He was found guilty by Justice Okon Abang for collecting N400m naira from the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki without contractual agreement.

The former PDP spokesman was charged alongside his company, Dextra investment, on a seven-count charge of criminal diversion of the money received from the office of the NSA.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Metuh and Dextra investment over a 7 – count charge bordering on money laundering.

The prosecution alleged that there were deposits, transfers and conversion of 400 million naira and over 2 million dollars to Metuh’s account, adding that they were proceeds of unlawful acts from the office of the former NSA.

But the defendant had denied all the charges, adding that he worked for former president, Goodluck Jonathan and that he was also engaged for other national assignments.

But the Judge said Metuh could have brought the former president to stand as a witness, adding that it could have been crucial.

The judge said the defendant was not a witness of truth.

“I have doubts that the defendant is telling the truth in the matter,” he said.

Okon said that Metuh was a member of a political party and not a government agent, and as such, could not have been engaged in national security services as stated by the defendant.

“Public funds filtered into private hands, not for the betterment of society but for the campaign of the PDP,” the judge said.

He said that the case was whether Metuh had actual knowledge, “constructive knowledge” or no knowledge of the monies paid to him at the time.

The judge added that evidences showed that Metuh was aware of the payments.

Furthermore, the defendant counsel prayed the judge to delay judgment since Dasuki had not been declared guilty by the FCT High court.

But the judge struck that out.

The judge said the defendants claim was not reliable.