He
was arraigned before Justice Ishaq Bello of the Federal Capital Territory High
Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, for allegedly attempting to destroy the
confessional statement he volunteered while being quizzed by operatives of the
EFCC.
The
fresh charges were filed on January 18, 2016.
One
of the counts reads:
“Olisa
Metuh on the 5th day of January 2016 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the
High Court of the Federal Capital Territory destroyed a document, to wit: a
statement made under caution to investigators/operatives of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission on the 5th of January 2016, with the intention of
preventing the same from being produced or used as evidence in a court of law.”
The
offence is punishable under Section 166 of the Penal Code Cap 532 laws of the
Federation of Nigeria, (Abuja) 2004.
Metuh
who was brought to the court from Kuje Prison, by officers of the Nigerian
Prisons Service, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.
In
view of his plea, prosecuting counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, urged the court fix a
date for the commencement of trial.
Responding,
Metuh’s counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, prayed the court to grant the accused
bail, taking into consideration the punishment which does not exceed two years.
Justice
Bello, while ordering Metuh to be remanded in prison custody, adjourned the
matter to January 25, 2016 for hearing on the bail application.
He
however, noted that, both parties would be communicated on the possibility of
hearing the bail application on January 22, 2016.
His
trial is expected to commence on February 26, 2016.
It
would be recalled that, Metuh is also standing trial on a seven-count charge brought
against him by the anti graft agency before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal
High Court Abuja, for allegedly receiving N400 million from former National
Security Adviser (NSA), Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
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