Embattled Olisa Metuh
A former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Olisa Metuh, has told a Federal High Court how he expended the N400 million he collected from the Office of the National Security Adviser under Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) in 2014.
According to a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Metuh made the revelation before Justice Okon Abang.
He was said to have explained that the fund was for “a special national assignment” in the run-up to the 2015 general elections.
The former PDP spokesman is being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency along with his company, Destra Investment, on seven counts bordering on money laundering to the tune of N400 million.
Reacting to questions from the prosecution team, Mr Metuh informed the court that there was never an instance where former President Goodluck Jonathan directly paid any money to him.
He insisted that the N400 million was for the national assignment as directed by the then President.
Upon being shown the statement of his account which had N6.6 million before an inflow of N400 million into it on November 24, 2014, the former PDP spokesman informed the court how he disbursed the money which he said was for a national assignment.
He said there was an outflow of N7.5 million from the amount through a cheque to a company, CNC Connect on December 2, 2014, and another payment of N21.7 million to late Chief Tony Anenih and N50 million to Kanayo/Olisah.
On that same date, Metuh narrated that there was another outflow of N31.5 million to one Richard Ehidioha, adding that two separate payments of N200 million and N300 million were made to Daniel Ford International also on December 4, 2014.
Other subsequent expenditures, according to him, include payments to CNC Connect in the sum of N70 million on December 15, 2014; N25 million to Abba Dabo on December 16, 2014, and N5 million to Mrs Kema Chikwe.
Metuh also told the court that a final report he submitted to the former president had all the expenditures of the said N400 million, captured in receipts and signatures for all payment of monies in cash and through several accounts for the special assignment.
He said he had about 19 accounts of which more than five were in Diamond Bank, adding that he made an investment of $2 million in cash in ARM, through its official, Miss Nneka Ararume.
After the cross-examination, Justice Abang adjourned the matter until Monday next week for the continuation of trial.
