Skip to main content

BREAKING: I’ve ordered Jonathan to appear in court Wednesday, says Judge


Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday confirmed that he had signed a subpoena compelling former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear in court on Wednesday to testify in defence of a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh.

This confirms The PUNCH’s exclusive story published on Tuesday that the judge signed the subpoena to be served on Jonathan after retiring back to chambers at the end of Monday’s proceedings.

The judge confirmed this on Tuesday during the resumed trial of Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited, on seven counts of money laundering involving alleged cash transaction of $2m and fraudulent receipt of N400m meant for procurement of arms from the Office of the National Security Adviser.
‎Confirming the summons on Jonathan on Tuesday, Justice Abang said he received Metuh’s application for a subpoena to be issued on Jonathan at about 3.59pm on Monday.

The judge said, “Indeed, at the close of business yesterday being October 23, 2017 precisely at about 3.59pm, the registrar forwarded to the court in chamber a subpoena to compel former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear in court to testify a the instance of the first defendant (Metuh).
“Therefore in line with section 241(1) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and having regard to the subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal in the appeal CA/A/159C/2017, between Olisa Metuh and Federal Republic of Nigeria dated September 29, 2017 to the effect that it will be tantamount to violating the right of the first defendant to fair hearing not to sign the subpoena.

“I have no option  other than to sign a subpoena to compel former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear in court on September 25, 2017 (Wednesday)to give evidence at the instance of the first defendant.”
But while being interrogated by the judge on Tuesday, a registrar of the court said the bailiff of the court had yet to serve the subpoena on Joanthan as of Tuesday morning.

Most of Metuh’s defence witnesses, including Mr. Ben Nwosu, who ended his testimony earlier on Monday, had insisted that the sum of N400m paid to the ex-spokesperson for the PDP from the Office of the NSA  in November 2014, the money being part of the case against Metuh, was directly authorised by Jonathan.

Metuh, had therefore through his lead counsel, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN),  told Justice Abang on Monday that he would seek to subpoena the ex-President as a defence witness.

Ikpeazu said the defence had written formally to Jonathan notifying him of the intention to have him testify in court but that the former President did not reply.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DEFECTIONS: Why Saraki, Dogara Others Must Heed Sen. Ibrahim's Call by Comrade Nwokoma Ndubuisi M.

The gale of defections in the National Assembly last week was followed by an advice from no one else than Sen. Abu Ibrahim that the Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki as well as the Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara and others in the fold of the All Progressives Congress APC that are still masquerading in the party should resign their membership of the party. This call which also implies that they resign their positions as leaders of the various arms of the National Assembly is yet to be complied with by those concerned as at the time of writing this piece Whatever their reasons for still staying put in the party may be, the fact of the matter is that their continued stay in the party has become a sore which must be extricated from the body.  As I watched through the proceedings of the defections on national television, I wept for the country for producing such leaders that lack morality despite all the party has given them politically which they ordin...
Post a Comment
Read more

Group Hails Hon. Karimi For Proactive Representation.

A socio political group in Kogi State known as the “Yabga Youth Movement” has hailed his member representing Yagba East/ Yabga West/ Mopa-Muro Federal constituency for his proactive representation of the people of the Federal constituency at the green chambers of the National Assembly. Honorable Sunday Karimi is of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP. The group through its National coordinator Mr. Adedayo Juwon said the way and manner the second term member of the House of Representatives has supported his constituents’ needs in terms of efficient representation and outreach is worth commending. He said the group will not hesitate to reciprocate such gesture to the member in order to achieve the overall wishes and aspirations of the people of the area.  Mr. Juwon who made his position known on the law maker in a press statement made available to newsmen in Abuja said the group was making its position known so posterity will know that the lawmaker is performing very cr...
2 comments
Read more

Support For GEJ: C C Okirie Commends PDP In Rivers State

A frontline politician in Rivers State Chief Chukwuma Chinwa Oikrie has commended the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers state under the leadership of Bro. Felix Obuah (Go Round) for the support the party has given to President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term bid. Chief Okirie made this known at Omoku Town the headquarters of Ogba/ Egbema / Ndoni local government area over the weekend when the Party opened the Campaign Office of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the LGA. While thanking the state Chairman for his support, Chief Okirie stated that with the support the President has received from the party in the state, there was even no need for him to come and campaign personally.   “With the tremendous support the people of the state have accorded the President, I think he should go and rest. It is even immaterial if he comes to campaign personally because the people of the state are behind him. We will give him the traditional 100% votes we have alway...
Post a Comment
Read more