Justice Okon Abang of the federal high court, Abuja, has ordered Olisa Metuh, spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to pay N20, 000 each to of the six respondents in a fundamental rights suit he filed against the federal government.
Metuh had filed the suit in January to challenge the grounds of his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
But when the suit was to be heard on Thursday, Abang was “surprised” that neither Metuh nor his lawyer showed up.
He wondered why Metuh did not notify the court of his absence.
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Tijani Kasali, counsel to the attorney-general of the federation (AGF), asked the court to strike out the suit because the applicant had abandoned it.
“I urge your lordship to strike out the suit for want of diligent prosecution,”he said.
He argued that the absence of Metuh and his counsel in court meant that they were not willing to continue the case.
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Thereafter, Abang dismissed the suit, and ordered Metuh to pay six agents of the federal government N20, 000 each.
Metuh is facing a seven-count charge of money laundering brought against him by the EFCC.
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