N400m Fraud: EFCC Closes Case Against Olisa Metuh
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday closed its case against the spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh.
Metuh was arraigned before Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged N400m fraud.
During his trial yesterday, a witness of the EFCC, Junaidu Sa’id, told the court how $47million was withdrawn from the CBN and disbursed to members of the PDP including Metuh for the purpose of the party’s presidential campaign.
Sa’id, an investigative officer with the anti graft agency, was led in evidence by the prosecuting lawyer, Mr Sylvanus Tahir, told the court that the commission in the course of investigation discovered how the office of the National Security Adviser under Col. Sambo Dasuki’ leadership withdrew $47million for the purpose of the campaign activities of the PDP.
The witness said, “It was at that period that Dasuki withdrew $47million from the CBN which was shared to members of the party for the presidential convention that the commission traced the $2million paid to Destra Investment company belonging to Metuh.
“It was four days after the disbursements that Metuh gave the money to his then wealth manager, Nneka Nicole Ararume.”
Under cross examination by the lawyer to Metuh, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), the witness said that Metuh had written in his statement that the monies he received from the Office of the former NSA was for campaign activities as approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan and for the payment of his personal debt.
He added that about N77.5 million was allegedly paid to one CMC Connect for campaign publicity for the PDP while N25million was giving to Abba Dabo for the same purpose.
He also told the court that the National Women Leader of the PDP, Kema Chikwe, got N5million from the said money while the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the PDP, Tony Anenih, received N21.7milllion .
He also told Justice Obong Abang that N500million was paid in two tranches to a firm, Daniel Ford International, by Metuh for the purchase of a landed property at Banana Island in Lagos State.
The witness said that investigations revealed that Dasuki had on November 27, 2014, made a N10billion withdrawal from the CBN and converted same to $47 million which was shared to some PDP party members at its national convention.
