UPDATED: Metuh is ‘blackmailing’ us, says EFCC

Tahir Sylvanus, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday at the federal high court, Abuja, said the lawyers of Olisa Metuh, spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were blackmailing him to concede to an application for adjournment.

Tahir, who was speaking before Okon Abang, the judge, said he was baffled that Metuh was trying to stall his trial.

Earlier, Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), one of Metuh’s lawyer, had drawn the court’s attention to a letter written by Onyechi Ikpeazu, the lead defence counsel, requesting an adjournment of the case.

He asked the court to adjourn the case since the lead defence counsel was absent.

“It is true that this case was adjourned to Thursday for the defence to open its case. I have not prepared any witnesses, the lead counsel, Ikpeazu did that,” Adedipe said.

But, in response, the EFCC counsel said he was reluctantly conceding to the application for adjournment.

“To be honest, I am dumbfounded and baffled. Going by the court’s record, right from the time of arraignment to date, the defendant has been represented by a legion of lawyers of which Onyechi Ikpeazu, is just a lead counsel,” he said.

“Adedipe has been on the list of appearance consistently. But an impression is being created that without Ikpeazu the case cannot go on.

“I, the prosecution, is being blackmailed in opposing this application. Ordinarily any of the able hands can take up the defence. My lord in this circumstance, we ask that Adedipe proceed with case on any date the court may deem fit.

“We reluctantly concede to the request for adjournment.”

Meanwhile, Metuh has petitioned the chief justice of the federal high court, requesting that his case be transferred to another judge.

Abang revealed this while addressing counsel to the prosecution and the defence in court on Thursday.

He said Metuh, through one of his lawyers, Emeka Etiaba (SAN), petitioned the chief judge accusing him of bias in the case.

The judge also said Etiaba accused him of giving majority of rulings in favour of the prosecution, and that Metuh was his classmate at law school.

But Abang said he never knew Metuh, saying Etiaba would need to prove the allegation.

“The court will not be blackmailed. I fear no evil,” he said.

“I shall continue to preside over this case until the honourable chief judge takes a decision on the petition.”

Earlier, Abang had stood down the trial to 12pm after the prosecution and the defence counsel failed to show up.

The PDP spokesman is facing a seven-count of charge of criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N400m.

He has maintained his innocence, saying he only received the sum of N400m from the office of the former national security adviser to carry out media campaigns for former President Goodluck Jonathan.