Olisa Metuh arrives court on wheelchair, begs to travel to UK

Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, on Wednesday, arrived for the continuation of his trial before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, in a wheelchair.

Metuh was wheeled into the courtroom to continue his defence of the seven-count charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him and his firm, Destra Investment Limited.

EFCC alleged that he had before the 2015 Presidential election, received N400million from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, without executing any contract.

At the resumed proceeding on Wednesday, Metuh through his lawyer, Mr Emeka Etiaba, SAN, applied to be allowed to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment.

Metuh’s lawyer told the court that his client’s health had badly worsened in the past two months.

He said the situation would require urgent medical attention from his doctors in London.

He tendered as an exhibit, a letter from one Dr Adrian T. H. Kasey, a Neurosurgeon at Wellington Hospital in London, which he said emphasized the need for Metuh to be treated urgently.

However, trial Justice Abang requested both the prosecution and defence lawyers to address him on whether the court could grant Metuh’s request considering that he previously dismissed two similar applications on May 25, 2016, and on February 2017.

Recall that Metuh was on February 9, brought to court in an ambulance, after Justice Abang threatened to revoke his bail and commit him to prison if he failed to appear for his trial.