N400m: Metuh appears in court on stretcher

Former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh yesterday pleaded with a Federal High Court in Abuja to suspend his trial until the end of his medical treatment.

Metuh was wheeled into the court on a stretcher after he arrived with an ambulance from the National Hospital, Abuja.

Justice Okon Abang had ordered Metuh to appear in court yesterday or have his bail revoked and returned to prison custody, after he failed to turn up for his trial in January.

Metuh’s counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) pleaded with the court to “Exercise milk of human sympathy,” adding that the defendant will not be able to understand the trial in his present state.

“The first concern of a sick man is to get healed. What is the use of going on with the trial where the accused, though present in court, does not appreciate the sequence of what is going on?” he asked

Metuh is facing charges of receiving N400m from former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki in 2014 for PDP campaign programmes.

The EFCC counsel, Sylvanus Tahir had asked the court to revoke Metuh’s bail for being absent without a good reason and described the medical report signed by one Dr Ekwugo O.C. earlier brought before the court, which diagnosed Metuh with a thoracic spinal disease, as trash.

The case has been adjourned to March 14, 15 and 16 for trial.