Metuh get N300m bail.

The Chief Judge of the
Federal Capital Territory High Court,
Justice Ishaq Bello, yesterday, granted
bail to the embattled National Publicity
Secretary of the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, to the
tune of N300million with
two sureties
in like sum.
The Judge stressed that the two
sureties must have verifiable
addresses.
Metuh was on Thursday, docked
before the high court by the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, on a two-count criminal charge
bordering on his alleged destruction of
evidence against him.
EFCC, alleged that Metuh who is also
facing another seven-count criminal
charge before Justice Okon Abang of
the Federal High Court in Abuja, tore
and attempted to chew a confessional
statement he made under caution
while undergoing interrogation.
The anti-graft agency insisted that the
said statement would have been vital
to its prosecution of the criminal case
pending against the defendant before
the Federal High Court.
It said that Metuh, by his action,
committed an offence contrary to
sections 166 and 326 of the Penal
Code Act.
Meantime, the PDP spokesman who
pleaded not guilty to the charge,
yesterday, prayed the court to release
him on bail pending the determination
of the case against him.
Moving the bail application which was
predicated on sections 35 and 36 of
the 1999, constitution, as amended,
and sections 160 and 165 of the
Administration of Criminal Justice Act,
2015, Metuh’s lawyer, Dr. Onyechi
Ikpeazu, SAN, urged the court to
exercise its discretion in favour of the
defendant.
Ikpeazu pleaded the court to consider
the fact that his client is also a lawyer
and grant him bail on self recognition.
He said that his client, as a
responsible citizen, would not jump
bail or interfere in anyway with EFCC
investigations or with its witnesses
Though EFCC did not oppose Metuh’s
bail request, it however urged the court
to impose conditions that would
compel the defendant to appear for
trial if released from detention.
Ruling on the application, Justice Bello
noted that the defendant was charged
with a bailable offence.
’I am satisfied that the oral application
of the defendant succeeds,
accordingly, he is granted bail in the
sum of N300million with two sureties
in the like sum, whose places of abode
must be verified for easy access’, the
Judge held.
Justice Bello had on the day Metuh
was arraigned before him, queried why
the EFCC failed to incorporate the
current charge to the one already
pending before the FHC.
Meanwhile, for the third time, prison
officials brought Metuh to court in
handcuffs yesterday.
The EFCC informed the court that it
has lined up three witnesses to testify
against Metuh, adding that the charge
against the defendant attracts two
years jail term upon his conviction.
Part of the charge that was preferred
against Metuh yesterday read, “That
you, Olisa Metuh in January 2016
while in the custody of the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission,
attempted to destroy evidence to
prevent its production in court during
trial contrary to Section 1 of the Panel
Code.
“That you Olisa Metuh, with intent to
cause damage to the property of the
Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, tore into pieces
statement you made under caution
contrary to section 326 of the panel
code and punishable under Section
327 of the same code”.