A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted leave to Mr Olisa Metuh, to file a ‘no case submission’ in the charges of money laundering and diversion of public funds filed against him by an anti-graft agency.
Opening his defence, Mr Metuh, who is the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), told the court that he had filed an application, but the prosecutor, Mr Sylvester Tahir, interjected by telling the court that the prosecution had an amended charge to replace the initial charge for which he had entered a not-guilty plea.
With no objection from the defence counsel, Oyeachi Ikpeazu, the charges were again read to Mr Metuh who entered a not-guilty plea.
The PDP Spokesman consequently prayed the court to allow him make a ‘no case submission’ through a written address, despite the protest of the prosecution as to the mode of making his submission.
In his ruling, Justice Obong Abang pointed out that an accused person was at liberty to take any decision that he considered proper for his own defence.
He stated that there was no law preventing Mr Metuh from doing so through a written address.
Justice Abang said that the PDP spokesman was permitted to file his address as soon as the case was adjourned.
He added that while the prosecution was to reply in the next three days, and should Metuh need to respond to the prosecutor’s address, he was to do so within 24 hours.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had brought an amendment charge against Mr Metuh, one week after closing its case.
According to the Prosecuting Counsel, the new charges would have no material effect on the earlier charges brought against PDP’s spokesman.
