Olisa Metuh, a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has cautioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to stop playing politics with his purported arraignment by the anti-graft agency.
Mr Metuh in a statement signed by his Special Assistant, Ebiloma Abdullahi, reminded the EFCC that the Court of Appeal had in December 2020 dismissed Justice Okon Abang’s judgement against Chief Metuh on grounds of manifest bias.
The statement further reminded the EFCC that the case is currently at the Supreme Court with an appeal to be discharged and acquitted of the charges on the merits of the case.
The statement reads in part; “Nothing exposes the desperation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as a mere political weapon designed to use media trial and judicial harassment against certain individuals than this campaign to intimidate and detract Chief Metuh from active participation in politics.
“For the records, the Court of Appeal has in December 2020 dismissed Justice Okon Abang’s judgement against Chief Metuh on grounds of manifest bias.
“Thereafter Chief Metuh’s lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court for a discharge and acquittal on the merits of the case. This they did, notwithstanding that his earlier appeal at the Supreme Court for a no-case submission has still not been heard.
“It is trite law that no prosecution can ever be done while the appeal at this stage at the Supreme Court has not been heard and decided. Why then the drama and the widely publicised media trial of an arraignment? Is any person afraid of Chief Metuh’s famed strategic and tactical political prowess? Who exactly is using the EFCC at this time?
“Whilst we await the 30th of May, 2022 to see the manifestation of this attempt to rewrite our Constitution, we advise the EFCC to focus on the monumental corruption going on in this government.
Olisa Metuh urged the EFCC to find out the financial crimes behind the ‘no light’, ‘no fuel’ ‘massive oil-bunkering’ and the dissemination of the value of our beloved naira.
“They should leave political persecution and face the serious work of fight against financial crimes,” he added.
