N400m payment is not from unlawful source, says Metuh

By Andrew Orolua, Abuja

Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, on Thursday, denied that the N400 million payment to his company, Destra investment Limited, came from an unlawful source.

He also stated that the payment was not an illegal act but for a specific national project as directed by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Metuh stated this on Thursday while testifying as a witness of Destra Investment Limited which opened its defence in the N400m money laundering charge before Justice Okon Abang of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.

He reiterated that former President Jonathan and not the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), approved the payment.

Metuh also told the court that the money was paid to him by Jonathan to execute some national assignment for the Federal Government.

Giving evidence on behalf of his company, Destra Investment Ltd, which is the second defendant in the suit, Metuh said that the account where the N400m was paid into belong to the company.

He said that he could not consider the money for act of any unlawful purpose because it came from the then president.

Metuh recalled that he held a meeting with the then president where various issues and challenges facing the country were discussed; adding that former president Jonathan promised and made the N400m available to him to carry out the national assignment.

He stressed that the money could not have been for an unlawful purpose because he was helping and contributing to stabilising the then government because President Jonathan was elected on the PDP platform.

Metuh specifically dismissed allegations that the money was channeled to him through Dasuki. “I did not receive any money from Col. Sambo Dasuki. Dasuki represents one of the finest and most brilliant military officers ever produced in the Nigerian military. He has had a distinguished career, served a lot of government and finally served as National Security Adviser for this country, under former President Jonathan.

“Up till May 29, 2015, no individual or group had ever questioned Dasuki’s integrity not to talk of been charged or arrested for any unlawful act. I am not aware of any criminal charge against Dasuki or any unlawful act until we lost government in 2015.

“As I am talking on oath before this court now, I can say categorically that Dasuki has not been interrogated, charged or convicted for any act relating to me and my company. The N400m was paid into my account by the then president and I did not conceal or disguise the money and it was not transferred out of jurisdiction”, he said.

Metuh insisted that the money was paid him for specific purposes and disbursed to those who executed the purposes as directed by the then president, adding that he later submitted details of the disbursement to the president.

He urged the court to take a look into the list of disbursement carried out in cash and in checks. Metuh also dismissed the insinuation that the N400m was meant to fund the PDP, adding that at the period, the PDP was rich to the tune of N33bn, with N12bn generated from sales of nomination forms and N21bn raked from fund raising.

According to him, the N400m was not for PDP, because there was no need to take a cup of water to the ocean.

Meanwhile, further cross examination has been adjourned to June 24, 25 and 26.