Judge threatens action against Abuja hospital for transferring Metuh to Lagos

Okon Abang, a judge of a federal high court in Abuja has berated the National Hospital, Abuja, for not informing the court before transferring  Olisa Metuh, former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to a Lagos hospital.

Ruling in an application for adjournment brought by Emeka Etaiba, Metuh’s counsel,  the judge said through its action, the hospital treated the court with levity.

Abang said Metuh’s case was first adjourned on account of a medical report from the hospital, which did not state the duration of the bed rest.

He said the hospital should have informed the court that the defendant had been transferred to another hospital.

“If I order investigation into the activities of the national hospital regarding to Metuh’s medical report many heads will roll,” he said.

“I have authority over the management of the hospital because they are under my jurisdiction. The management is not above this court and the law.

“They cannot treat this court with levity; national hospital has a duty to explain to the court what led to the transfer of Metuh from National Hospital, Abuja, to another hospital in Lagos.

“In any event, I have another medical report issued by Dr Olufemi Bankole from Lagos University Teaching Hospital that Metuh is on bed rest over back pains which he claimed.”

Abang said the medical report did not disclose the location of the hospital in Lagos, and adjourned the case till July 7.

Metuh was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on allegations of receiving N400 million from the office of Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.