N400m fraud: Metuh ill, absent from court again

Former Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh failed to appear before a Federal High Court in Abuja in continuation of his trial.

A letter sent to the judge, Justice Okon Abang by a medical doctor from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, informed the court that Metuh requires further medical attention over a relapse of his spinal chord ailment.

Metuh’s counsel, Ben Chuks Nwosu said the former PDP spokesman could be moved to University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu if his condition did not improve.

Metuh and his company, Destra Investment Ltd were in 2016 charged with seven counts of money laundering by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after he allegedly received N400million arms fund from the former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki.

Metuh had listed former president, Goodluck Jonathan as one of the witnesses to testify in the trial, which made the court issue Jonathan a subpoena on October 23.

But with the former president unable to attend the trial after bailiffs failed to personally serve him the court process, the judge ordered Metuh to produce any other witness to make progress in the matter.

The case is expected to continue today with the testimony of staff of Daar Communications Plc, Adebayo Bodunrin.