Metuh released from Kuje Prisons on bail

National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, Thursday night, posted his bail to regain temporary freedom after 24 days in detention at the Kuje Prisons, Abuja.

Upon his arrest by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on January 5,  where he spent weeks in its custody, Metuh was finally arraigned before the court over alleged N400 million money laundering allegations through  his firm, Destra Investment Limited.

He was granted bail by Justice Okon Abang on January 19, 2016 in the sum of N400 million with two sureties in like sum.

The court said the two sureties must be residents of Abuja and have property in Maitaima district worth N200 million.

The court further directed the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, to, within 24 hours of being notified, verify the addresses of the proposed sureties and the Certificate of Occupancy of the property to be presented by them.

But, when it became practically impossible for Metuh to meet with these conditions, he approached the court with an application seeking the variation of the conditions.

On Wednesday, Justice Abang granted the application and lessened the bail terms.

In his ruling on Metuh’s application for the variation of his bail conditions, Justice Okon Abang, said the applicant would no longer be required to produce two sureties who must have property limited to the Maitama District of Abuja.

While the bail sum of N400 million and other attached conditions remain, Metuh’s proposed sureties, who the court insisted must be resident in Abuja, could now be owners of property with valid title documents “in any district of the Federal Capital Territory.”

The court rejected the second leg of the application despite disregarding the opposition by prosecuting counsel to that aspect of the prayer for failing to file his objection to the application within 24 hours earlier given him to do so.

The judge upheld Metuh’s counsel, Emeka Etiaba’s request that Tahir’s submissions be expunged from the court’s records but still went ahead to rule that, “As regarding the second leg of the application, I think the first defendant (Metuh) is asking for what is not legally permissible.”

Justice Abang said since the purpose of bail is to give liberty to the defendant to be able to defend himself, and he has deposed to affidavit that while he has not been able to get anybody in Maitaima to stand surety for him, he has friends with more expensive property in other districts of the FCT, the court is compelled to vary the bail conditions.

“The court, in varying its earlier condition is not sitting in an appeal, but making an order to give effects to its earlier condition,” Justice Abang said.

The judge said he has his reasons for making the order and if the defence counsel is dissatisfied with it, the only option is to go to on appeal.

He, however, assured that the court will ensure that the prosecution counsel will not be an obstacle to the fulfillment of the bail conditions.