Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has expressed displeasure over what he perceived as means employed by the defence team of Olisa Metuh, the former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, in an ongoing trial over a N400 million fraud.
Abang noted the various adjournments requested by the first defendant’s counsel as an attempt to prolong and frustrate the matter entirely, especially since A.C Oziakor took over the matter.
He lamented that the primary reason for employing Oziakor’s services was to frustrate the trial.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is prosecuting Metuh for allegedly receiving the sum from the ONSA in 2014, to run advocacy campaign for former President, Goodluck Jonathan, ahead of the 2015 general elections.
The trial stalled on April 10, 2019, due to the absence of the counsel to the first defendant, A.O Onsiowu.
At the resumed sitting, the prosecution counsel, S. Tahir, told the court that the prosecution is ready for the continuation of the trial.
Tahir added that the 15th defence witness, who is also the 1st defendant in the matter, is in the dock for cross examination, while counsel to the second defendant, Tochukwu Onwugbufor, a senior advocate, also informed the court of their readiness to proceed.
But Metuh’s counsel, Oziakor, who was not present in court, sent a letter which was served to all parties involved, seeking another adjournment.
He claimed he has another matter at the State High Court in Adamawa, Yola State, attaching a copy of his flight ticket to the state capital.
The case had witnessed four different adjournments, which has always been granted in his instance.
However, the prosecution counsel, opposed the application, saying the trial has suffered enough adjournments.
