News
Court Sentences Metuh To 39 Years Imprisonment
Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday, sentenced former Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, to a total of 39 years imprisonment.
Metuh’s sentencing, which came after four years of trial, was sequel to his conviction in a money laundering charge against him by the Federal Government.
But Metuh, however, is to serve to seven years imprisonment on corruption charges regarding his activities preceding the 2015 presidential election which his party lost.
Justice Abang, delivering judgment at the proceedings which lasted over six hours, convicted Metuh on all the seven counts, including the fraudulent receipt of N400million from the Office of the National Security Adviser in November, 2014, and use of the money for political activities of the PDP and for his personal purposes.
The court also convicted Metuh for transacting with a cash sum of $2million without going through a financial institution.
The judge agreed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) successfully proved that the transaction violated the anti-money laundering law which pegs the maximum cash transaction an individual undertake outside a financial institution at N5million.
Metuh and his company, Destra Investment Limited were arraigned on a seven-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N400million received from the former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
They were also accused of laundering the sum of $2million and conversion of public funds into private usage.
EFCC had in a seven-count charge it entered before the court, alleged that the N400million was electronically wired from an account that ONSA operated with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to Metuh, via account no. 0040437573, which his firm operated with Diamond Bank Plc.
It told the court that the fund, which was released to Metuh and his firm by detained former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), was part of about $2.1billion earmarked for the purchase of arms to fight insurgency in the North-East.
Besides, the prosecution alleged that Metuh was involved in an illicit transaction that involved the exchange of $2million, in violation of extant financial regulations.
But the former PDP spokesman claimed that the said funds were for a national assignment as directed by the then President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan.
However, delivering judgment in the case, Justice Abang held that the prosecution was able to establish the ingredients of guilt in all the seven-count charge against Metuh and his company.
Justice Abang, accordingly handed down the minimum years as prescribed by Section 15 of the Money Laundering Act.
For count one, the judge sentenced Metuh to seven years imprisonment; count two, seven years; count three, five years; count four, seven years; count five, three years with a fine of N25million; count six, three years with a fine of N25million; and count seven, seven years imprisonment.
The sentences, which are to run concurrently, according to the judge, comes into effect from the day the judgment was delivered, meaning that Metuh will serve all sentences simultaneously, thereby staying only seven years in jail, from yesterday.
While the court ordered the winding up of Destra Investment Limited and the balance in the firm’s bank accounts to be forfeited to the Federal Government, Justice Abang, in addition, imposed a fine of N375million on Metuh.
The judge also directed Metuh to pay the fine of N375million to the Federal Government.
He also ordered Destra Investments to pay N25million to the Federal Government.
He ordered the accounts of Destra in Diamond Bank and Asset Resource Management to be closed and their proceeds forfeited to the Federal Government.
Meanwhile, a group of lawyers has charged the Federal Government to deploy the same energy used in the investigation and prosecution of a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, to those in the present administration that have allegations of corruption and fraud on their heads.
Metuh was sentenced to seven years imprisonment, yesterday, by a Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Okon Abang after he was found guilty of money laundering charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Reacting to the judgment of the court, lawyers under the aegis of Coalition of Public Interests Lawyers and Advocates (COPA) said the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration could prove its doubters wrong if and when individuals in the administration that have cases hanging over their heads were given a similar treatment like Metuh’s.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Barrister Pelumi Olajengbesi, said: “There is a kind of blood flow that moves in the Federal Government whenever an opposition is being prosecuted.
“What we are saying is that this same energy should be transferred to people who are within the government.
“We are saying that the energy used in prosecuting Olisa Metuh, that energy should be used to investigate all of these (alleged) corrupt elements in the government.”
He stressed that: “We have (Godswill) Akpabio there, who has a lot of questions to answer with the EFCC. Federal Government has not done anything about it.”
The EFCC, in 2018, said the case of alleged fraud involving Akpabio was not over after he (Akpabio) reportedly said that he was a man of peace that had no case to answer with the EFCC.
Olajengbesi also mentioned the current Minister of State for Mines and Steel, Mr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, who he alleged was arrested outside the court premises in 2016 by the EFCC after the police withdrew a case of forgery against him.
Ogah had, however, faulted the reported arrest, saying he was never arrested and the report of his so-called arrest was “false, wicked and fabricated”.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.