The National Publicity Secretary of the
Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, on Monday opened his defence
before a Federal High Court in Abuja, where he is being prosecuted for
money laundering and charges bordering on the N400m he received from the
Office of the National Security Adviser.
Metuh’s first witness, Mr. Ike Abonyi,
who described himself as a journalist and a public relations consultant,
said in his testimony that the N400m was released to the PDP
spokesperson by the ONSA in 2014 on the instruction of the then
President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
Abonyi said the then President informed
Metuh of the money paid into his account by the NSA office for the
purpose of executing the party’s Presidential media campaign ahead of
the 2015 presidential election.
The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission on January 15, 2016 arraigned Metuh and his firm, Destra
Investments Limited, before Justice Okon Abang on seven counts,
including money laundering involving $2m cash transaction.
Part of the charges preferred against
them also bordered on the N400m which the accused allegedly received
fraudulently from the Office of the National Security Adviser in
November 2014.
Already, the EFCC is prosecuting the
then NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), on alleged diversion of funds of
the NSA office into presidential campaign of the then ruling PDP and to
other issues unrelated to the activities of the office.
Abonyi, who was led in evidence by
Metuh’s lead counsel, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), said he served in the
team led by the PDP spokesperson which developed the media campaign
strategies for the 2015 presidential election in which Jonathan was the
party’s candidate.
The witness said Metuh’s team did a
presentation to Jonathan in the Presidential Villa in either October or
November 2014 and that after the presentation, the then President asked
Metuh to submit to him a corporate account in which funds meant for the
project could be disbursed.
Abonyi, who was led in evidence by
Metuh’s lead counsel, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), said, “After the
presentation, the President asked for comment from those sitting with
him and most of the speakers made positive remarks about what they saw
in our presentation.
“The Office of the Media Adviser, (Dr.
Reuben Abati), did the presentation; Dr. Doyin Okupe, Senior Special
Adviser on Public Affairs, and some other professionals brought in by
party and government officials also did presentation.
“Ultimately, given the comments of
people that were sitting with the President, I recalled vividly the
comments of a former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, who told the
President that what the team presented should be put into action; they
should be quickly mobilised because if nothing was done immediately
before the President started the campaign, it would be difficult to win
the election given the public perception of him and his government at
that time.
“The President then said since it
appeared to be the consensus of the people with him then that Metuh and
his team did a better job, he would advise that all the others should
collapse into Chief Metuh’s team, because he would want the consultant
to provide the direction.
“At that point, the President told Chief
Metuh that he had done a good job but that the real job was still out
there to put all these into action and told him to bring a corporate
account to him for immediate mobilisation and action.”
He added that Metuh was later informed
by the then President that some funds had been paid into the account to
enable him to start the work.
According to the witness, the
presentation at the Presidential Villa was handled on behalf of Metuh’s
team by Mr. Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, who is the Managing Director, CMC
Connect.
Present at the presentation, according
to the witness, included the then Vice-President, Namadi Sambo; the
Senate President, Mr. David Mark, media aides to the President – Abati
and Okupe.
The witness said the then National
Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, a former governor of Anambra
State, Mr. Peter Obi, and his Cross River State counterpart, Liyel
Imoke, were also present during the presentation.
The witness said, “After our
presentation, we continued our work. The MD of CMC Connect returned to
Lagos. We were waiting to hear from Chief Metuh.
“One afternoon, he Metuh told us that
the President (Jonathan) called him and said he should check his bank
that some money had been disbursed to him for his job.”
He said during the presentation to
Jonathan, the then President was made to realise that his image was in a
bad shape and that something drastic needed to be done.
He added that Abati raised objection to
his team’s assessment of Jonathan’s image during the presentation but
the objection was overruled by Jonathan.
He said the PDP was being funded by
members of the party, its officials and the leader of the party, who was
then President Jonathan.
During cross-examination by the lead
prosecuting counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, the witness said the ONSA was
not part of the organogram of the PDP.
After the witness was cross-examined by
the prosecuting counsel, Justice Abang adjourned till April 20, to
enable the counsel for Metuh’s firm, Tochukwu Onwugbufor (SAN) to
cross-examine him (the witness).
Ade Adesomoju, Abuja/http://www.punchng.com/n400m-paid-to-metuh-on-jonathans-order-witness/
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