Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday, allowed former National Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Oliseh Metuh, to begin his evidence-in-chief outside the witness box.
Recall that the court had earlier in the week, vacated an order made on May 25, closing Metuh’s case.According to the court, the case was reopened to enable Metuh testify personally as well as call two additional witnesses.
But at the end of the two witnesses’ testimonies, Metuh had prayed the court to allow him call a third witness, who he told the court, will lay the foundation on which he would commence his evidence.To thus, Justice Abang granted him leave to call additional witness on the premise that no sacrifice was too much for the court to make to ensure that justice was served.
When Metuh’s counsel, Mr Onyeachi Ikpeazu called him to enter the witness box to commence his evidence-in-chief, the judge permitted him to remain on his seat.Metuh told the court that he was a lawyer, a business executive, a politician and a real estate developer.
Ikpeazu, who had earlier told the court that he would only introduce the evidence of Metuh, prayed the court to allow him stop and continue on the next adjourned date.He also prayed the court to allow his client travel abroad for the graduation ceremony of his daughter.In his response, the judge insisted that he would not act on the request since there was no formal application before the court.The judge later adjourned the matter till October 22 and 24 for Metuh to continue with his evidence-in-chief. Metuh is standing trial along with his company, Destra Investments Limited, on a seven- count charge bordering on money laundering.
