The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Court, Mr. Olisa Metuh, has applied to a Federal High Court in Abuja for the release of his passport to enable him to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment.
Justice Okon Abang had ordered Metuh to deposit his passport with the court’s registrar as part of the bail conditions granted him on January 19, 2016, with respect to his ongoing trial before the court.
Metuh, by his motion filed on May 16, seeks orders directing the court’s registrar to release his passport to him and to permit him to travel to the United Kingdom for five weeks to get treatment.
He stated in the application that his decision to seek treatment abroad was informed by the advice by a neurosurgeon in the National Hospital, Abuja following the injury he allegedly sustained after falling from a chair at the national secretariat on April 26.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited, on seven counts, including alleged fraudulent receipt of N400m from the Office of the National Security Adviser in November 2014 to fund Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential campaign ahead of the 2015 poll.
Other counts preferred against Metuh include alleged money laundering offences involving cash transaction of $2m without passing through a financial institution.
Justice Abang on Thursday reluctantly adjourned Metuh’s trial and the hearing of his fresh motion seeking the release of his passport till May 23, after his lawyer, Mr. Emeka Etiaba (SAN), complained that his client’s condition worsened overnight.
Etiaba told the judge that Metuh was rushed to hospital at about 1am on Thursday following a sudden change in his condition.
He said he read Metuh’s text message about the overnight development on Thursday morning but insisted that the defendant must attend the day’s proceedings.
He said he met Metuh at the court’s car park on Thursday and realised that the PDP’s spokesperson had vommitted in his car.
The lawyer said, “Waking up this morning, I read a text from the first defendant (Metuh) informing me that he was rushed to the National Hospital by 1am.
“My lord, I read that text this morning when I woke up and I responded that whatever it is he must be in court.
“I drove in this morning and he (Metuh) was at the car park in his car. On getting there I realised that he had vommited profusely and his brother-in-law Mr. Andy, narrated how he was rushed to the hospital last night.
“On getting to the hospital, they met a lady doctor who said the nurses were on strike but they administered injection and drugs to him.
“They also gave him a room but he was advised that since they had given him medical attention, that he should go home because the injection administered to him would make him to sleep.
“He was also informed that because of the strike, the only available room was not cleaned up. He was advised to come back to the hospital by 8am.. he was only here based on my advice.
“Our application this morning is for an adjournment.
But for the reason that the 1st defendant is very weak, there is need to report back to the hospital because he cannot stand trial.
“I therefore plead with my lord to indulge us because this is a life threatening-situation. The defendant needs to stay alive to face his trial. This is a passionate appeal.”
Destra Investment Limited’s lawyer, Tochukwu Onwugbufor (SAN), supported the application for adjournment.
Prosecuting counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, described Etiaba’s submission as an “oral affidavit” but that he would not oppose the application for adjournment since it had to do with the defendant’s health.
Justice Abang in a bench ruling also said the issues raised by Etiaba were merely “sentimental” as there was no evidence apart from the lawyer’s oral submission to back the ill health claim.
The judge said the defendant ought to have invited the doctor who attended to Metuh in the hospital to give evidence on oath with respect to the defendant’s ill health.
But the judge said notwithstanding the failure of the defendant’s lawyer to adduce tenable evidence, he would adjourn the case because “the court is also human”.
He adjourned till May 23 but with a directive that the trial would proceed day to day in line with provisions of section 396(3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
PUNCH
An operative of the Department of State Security Service (DSS), Mr. Williams Obiora confirmed to the court that a retinue of security agents mainly soldiers was still in the house of the Ex-NSA guarding him when the DSS stormed the house in search of weapons.
Obiora said: “We got to the residence on the said date to discover that there were soldiers who guarded him in the house. Efforts to serve him a search warrant was resisted by the soldiers as they claimed that they couldn’t access him. So, we contacted our office which liaised with the military authority who advised the soldiers to allow us in because we were there legally. Eventually, we had access to the house and we executed the search.”
Led in evidence by Federal Government lawyer, Mr. Damian Agbe to justify Dasuki’s detention since December 2015, Obiora told the regional court that Dasuki was arrested and kept in custody for two reasons.
Among others, the witness claimed that the Ex-NSA was being kept in the DSS custody for his personal security in view of allegations against him on arm purchase and to also prevent him from possible escape from justice.
He said: “There are two basic reasons why he is still in our custody. One, for his own interest. For his own personal protection because some of the politicians implicated in the arms deal from the intelligence available to us…(he paused.) Two, there is intelligence indicating that he can get out of this country thereby evading justice. These are the two main reasons.
“In the course of the search, some of the suspected items that took us to the house were recovered. These include 5 Tavor Assault Rifles and others” he said.
On whether Dasuki requested DSS for protection, Obiora said he was not aware as to whether Dasuki made any such request. “He does not need to make a request before we give him protection if his life is in danger, and we owe him a responsibility to ensure he suffers no harm.
Pressed further, Obiora also agreed that Dasuki’s detention was not pursuant to any judicial proceedings.
Dasuki’s lawyer, Roberts Emukperuo however said that there was no need keeping Dasuki in protective custody because he never requested protection from the DSS or anybody.
Dasuki’s counsel however tendered an affidavit by the DSS confirming that as at 24 August 2015 the DSS had completed the investigation, querying that “if it had been concluded there was no need re-arresting him?”
However, Emukperuo said the oral evidence given by the defence were mostly at variance with the documents filed before the court.
According to him, a party must be consistent in stating, proving and arguing his case. “He cannot state one case in his pleading and in the process of arguing it, he takes a somersault”, he declard,
Emukperuo further averred that the evidence of Mr Obiora alluded to only two reasons why the applicant was detained. “He did not mention national security. He said for his own safety and so that he won’t escape. He didn’t cite national security concerns. So, the evidence of Obiora did not support the statement of defence because they are at variance”, he added.
Having listened to submissions by both parties, the presiding judge, Justice Friday Nwoke fix judgment till June 29, 2016.
Dasuki had dragged Federal government before the regional court claiming that his fundamental right to freedom of liberty was being trampled upon by his detention since December 2015 without trial.
The Ex-NSA prayed the ECOWAS court to order his immediate release and also a payment of N500millions as compensatory damages for his unlawful detention and seizure of property.
NO Weapon Was Found in Guest House
Also Thursday, the Federal High Court in Abuja was told that no weapons was found in the Guest House of Dasuki when it was searched by the operative of the DSS last year.
At the resumed trial of Dasuki on charges of unlawful possession of firearms, the government witness, Mr. Samuel Ogbu who was under cross examination confirmed no incriminating items was found in the guest house by the security agent.
Ogbu who is an operative of DSS was cross-examined by counsel to Dasuki, Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN) and insisted that the only weapons recovered was in the house of the Ex-NSA
The witness told Justice Adeniyi Ademola that some money was found in Dasuki’s house but that he would not know whether the defendant committed money laundering offence or not because he does not know the definition of money laundering under the law.
Further trial has been adjourned till June 8 and 9 2016 at the instance of Dasuki’s lawyers.
An EgyptAir flight from Paris to Cairo with 66 passengers and crew on board crashed into the Mediterranean Sea off the Greek island of Crete early Thursday morning, Egyptian and Greek officials said. Egypt’s aviation minister said the crash was more likely caused by a terror attack than technical problems.
President Barack Obama has been briefed on the situation, said Lisa Monaco, assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism.
Aboard were 56 passengers and 10 cabin crew members and security officers. The passengers were predominantly Egyptian — 30 in all — but also aboard were 15 French citizens, including an infant; two Iraqis; and one from each of the following countries: Britain, Belgium, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Chad, Portugal, Algeria and Canada, according to Fathi, the Egyptian aviation minister.
A Greek military official says an Egyptian search plane has located two orange items believed to be from the missing EgyptAir flight.
The official says the items were found 230 miles (370 kilometers) south-southeast of the island of Crete but still within the Egyptian air traffic control area. One of the items was oblong, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in accordance with regulations.
Russian security official Alexander Bortnikov says “in all likelihood it was a terror attack” that caused EgyptAir Flight 804 from Paris to Cairo to crash into the Mediterranean early Thursday with 66 people on board. KRON.com
In furtherance of the ongoing efforts to enhance operational effectiveness and service delivery, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has commissioned new sets of facilities in its units at Makurdi and Benin City. Some of the newly commissioned projects were named after deceased personnel who died in the ongoing counterinsurgency operation in Northeast Nigeria. Those honoured with the recent projects are Flight Lieutenant Ebitimi Owei and Flight Sergeant Awodi Emmanuel Adakole who died on 10 October 2015 and 25 August 2015 respectively.
The newly provided facilities in Makurdi include a Bulk Fuel Installation (BFI) with 2,000,000 litres capacity, crew/briefing room for F-7Ni pilots, 12 units of 3-bedroom flats for Senior Non-Commissioned Officers, and sporting facilities for the use of NAF personnel, family members and host community. Also, a block of 4 units of 3-bedroom flats was commissioned for officers serving at the 81 Air Maritime Group, Benin.
Meanwhile, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar has called on the beneficiaries of the new facilities to reciprocate the gesture by the Federal Government, who made the necessary funds available for the projects, by rededicating themselves to their duties. Air Marshal Abubakar reminded the personnel that “the whole essence of government’s commitment to their welfare is to bring out the best in them”. He therefore urged them to remain selfless and committed in the pursuit of their assigned statutory duties”. The CAS was represented at both occasion by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal James Gbum.
On Tuesday 17th May 2016, troops of 1 Brigade Nigerian Army operating under the auspices of Operation MESA in Zamfara State, raided suspected cattle rustlers and armed bandits camp at Yan Mangu forest, near Dandindin village, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The troops also arrested 2 bandits and recovered 1 AK-47 rifle, 1 AK-47 rifle magazine loaded with 7 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, 3 locally made guns and 1 motorcycle.
The two suspects were arrested while attempting to flee from the camps.
Nevertheless, the troops have destroyed all the bandits’ camps in the forest and are further dominating the general area and other flash points with raids and patrols.
The public are kindly requested to continue to be more security conscious and report any suspicious movement or persons to the nearest security agencies.
Meantime, in continuation with the special clearance and rescue operations otherwise known as Operation CRACKDOWN, within the Sambisa forest, troops of 7 Division have yesterday Tuesday, 17th May 2016, cleared Boko Haram terrorists out of their Njimia camp within Sambisa forest.
While advancing earlier in the morning on the same day, the troops also cleared Boko Haram terrorists camps at Alafa, where they encountered heavy resistance from Boko Haram terrorists and killed 15 of them.
The troops continued their advance through Alafa Main, Alafa Extension and Alafa Yaga-yaga, where they cleared remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists hibernating there before arriving at their main objective, Njimia.
Apart from destroying the camps, the troops rescued 41 hostages who were mostly women and children. The troops also recovered 2 Dane Guns, several vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles belonging to the terrorists.
One significant aspect of this feat today was the combination of ground forces assault, Nigerian Air Force Jets provision for combat air support and monitoring of the operation directly by the Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Brigadier General Victor Ezugwu on board Air Force reconnaissance aircraft.
It is gratifying to note that no casualty was recorded by own troops through the conduct of this operation
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