N400m fraud trial: Metuh tenders record of account in Court

…says Abba Dabo N25m is from PDP fund

Andrew Orolua, Abuja

Embattled former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh on Tuesday tendered in Court a record of account detailing how he spent N400 million paid to him for a presidential national project from the office of the national security adviser in 2015.

Metuh and his company Destra Investment limited are standing trial before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja for allegedly laundering the sum.

The court admitted the record of account attached with receipts of payments as exhibit D20.

Metuh who continued his testimony as the Pw 15, on Tuesday had told the Court that the N400 million was paid to him by former President Goodluck Jonathan for a special national assignment and that he disbursed the sum under the directives of the former president.

Led in evidence in chief by his counsel, Barr. Abel Ozioko, Metuh, confirmed that no part of the N400 million was used for the campaign activities of the PDP but exclusively for the Presidential special national assignment.

The record of account tendered by Metuh contains details of the disbursements and signatures of those who received funds in the execution of the said special national assignment.

Metuh explained that he reconciled the accounts with the late Special Adviser to former President Jonathan, Dr. Oronto Douglas, after which two documents were tendered to Jonathan, one, contained the details of the programmes executed while the other contained the details and receipts of payments for the project.

Metuh further informed the court that he had no dealings whatsoever with the aide of the former Vice President, Mallam Abba Dabo, on the special national assignment.

He explained that the N25 million he paid to Mallam Abba Dabo, who had earlier testified in the case as PW 7, was from the PDP for PDP activities and not from the N400 million as Abba Dabo did not carry out any role in the special national assignment and was never assigned any role in the project.

“All the dealings I had with Abba Dabo had nothing to do with the special national assignment; nothing about Abba Dabo was contained in the record of account submitted to the former President and there is no record of payment made to Abba Dabo in the special national assignment”, Metuh told the court.

He recalled that he had previously testified in court that as National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, he usually makes payment from his personal resources for party activities after which he gets refunds from the party.

Metuh drew the attention of the court to exhibit D11, a memo dated December 23, 2014, and tendered by the Head of PDP Publicity Directorate, Mrs. Chinwe Nnorom, wherein the party administration reflected a refund of N25 million to Metuh for the fund he paid to Mallam Abba Dabo for a project he carried out for the party.

The first defendant therefore expressed shock that Abba Dabo did not ask him about the source of the N25 million refunded him by the party before refunding same to the EFCC.

Metuh also told the court that all advertorials programmed by PW 5, Yomi Badejo, which had the logo of the PDP were all paid for by the PDP as also indicated by the Exhibit D11, contrary to claims that they were paid for from the N400 million. He also averred that the PW 5 made a refund of N25 million.

The matter continue today Wednesday, April 10 .