TheCable

Olisa Metuh, spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), took N50m out of the N400m given to him by Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), diverting the money meant for “security services” to personal use.

Junaid Sa’id, a detective at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), made the claim on Tuesday at the resumed court trial of the PDP spokesman.

According to Sa’id, who was testifying against Metuh before Justice Okon Abang of the federal high court, Abuja, Metuh used part of the slush funds – about N500m – received from the office of national security adviser (ONSA) to buy property at Banana Island, Lagos.

“Investigation revealed that after payment of N400m by ONSA, a total sum of N366m was paid into the same account by one Kabiru Ibrahim, who also paid in N150m; Capital Field Investment Limited paid in N91m, and one Eyitonye, paid in N82m,” he said.

“These funds formed the naira equivalent of $2m, which the first defendant [Metuh] gave to one Nneka Ararume in cash.

“Investigations revealed that all this money was used for PDP campaign activities and for personal use by the first defendant. The money used for PDP campaign activities were from the sum of N400m. Among the disbursement made, the sum of N77.5m was paid to CMC Connect for campaign activities; the sum of N25m was paid to Abba Dabo for campaign activities; and the sum of N21.7m was paid to Chief Tony Anenih. Another sum of N5m was discovered to have been paid to Chief Kema Chikwe, and the sum of N50m was found to have been transferred to a joint account of the first defendant and his wife.

“The sum of N500m was also discovered to have been transferred to Daniel Ford International Limited in two tranches of N200m and N300m for the purpose of buying landed property at Banana Island, Lagos, by Metuh.

“In the course of the investigation, the team visited the residence of the first defendant and invited him to the commission. He was interviewed. After the interview, he was asked if he was willing to volunteer a statement in writing. He said, ‘yes’. When he concluded writing his statement, which was in four sheets, he handed them over to us. I read what he had written. I also gave it to my other team members to read. After that, I returned it to him for endorsement.

“He endorsed the first sheet, he endorsed the second sheet; when he was to endorse the third sheet in which he had stated that the money he received from ONSA was used for PDP campaign activities to settle his personal debts, to the surprise of the team he suddenly tore the sheet. The pieces of the torn sheets were then recovered from him and registered as exhibit.”

Sa’id is the eighth witness to testify against Metuh in his trial for alleged money laundering to the tune of N400m.

When crossed examined by Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), Metuh’s lawyer, Sa’id, said the money the accused person received from ONSA followed due process.

“Do you affirm that the money collected was in accordance with the due process?” Ikpeazu asked the prosecution witness.

“Yes, my lord,” he said.

His affirmation was a result of the revelation that the said N400m was paid through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the mandate of ONSA.

He, however, maintained that the money was paid to the defendant without “contracts or approvals.”

Also, the EFCC detective revealed that Metuh did not eat his statement, contrary to reports that he did, but that he simply tore it.

In addition, Sa’ id explained that the $2m cash amount Metuh gave to Ararume for conversion into naira was linked to another $14.7m shared out to PDP members for the presidential convention.

He, however, added that there was no documentary evidence because the money was disbursed in cash.