A legal officer, Baleh Ndam, in the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, has claimed that a company (Destra Investment Limited) owned by Olisa Metuh, spokesman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, was among the 78 companies that allegedly received money from Sambo Dasuki, former NSA, without an award of contracts.
Ndam on Tuesday, claimed that, “On November 28, 2015, the National Security Adviser forwarded a letter entitled ‘Payment to companies without contract awards’ to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
He said, “Following the letter, the EFCC sent a letter to ONSA requesting for e-payment mandates of these companies; their letter was on January 13, 2016.”
The witness who said he started working in the legal department of ONSA in 2012, said there were 78 companies, and Destra Investment Limited was one of them.
Recall that Metuh is facing a seven-count charge of money laundering. Although, has been granted bail in the sum of N400m, he is yet to perfect the conditions for it. Also, he is facing a two-count charge of destruction of document at the federal capital territory high court, Abuja. He has been granted bail in the sum of N600m, but he is yet to fulfill the conditions for it.
Counsel to the PDP spokesman, Onyechi Ikpeazu, objected the claim of the witness, urging the court to reject the document as evidence in the case.
Ikpeazu argued that the e-payment mandates were not admissible in court because they were computer generated, hence they must come from ‘the maker.’
Meanwhile, counsel to the EFCC, Sylvanus Tahir, described Ikpeazu’s objection as ‘highly misconceived’, arguing that all documents tendered before the court were relevant in the case.
Tahir said, “We urge your lordship to discountenance the objection.”
Earlier, Justice of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Okon Abang, stood down the trial of Metuh for an hour following the failure of prison officers to bring him to court on time.
When the case was mentioned, the prosecution counsel observed that Metuh was absent. He asked the court for some time for the accused person to come in from prison.
After listening to the counsel, the Judge advised that prison officers must learn to adhere to stipulated time, and warned that he would not condone lateness any longer.
“It all depends on the attitude of the prison officials, if they make up their mind to be here before 9 am they will make it, unless they are used to coming to court late.
“The prison officials cannot keep holding this matter down, so tell them, this is the last time I will be standing a matter down for them. This matter has been reluctantly stood down to 10 am at the instance of the prosecution,” Abang said.
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