Court Sentences Olisa Metuh To Seven Years In Prison

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Olisa Metuh, to seven years in prison. Metuh was arraigned by the Federal Government in 2016 over allegations of unlawfully receiving N400m from the office of the then National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd)and transacting with the sum of $2 million without going through a financial institution, in violation of a provision of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act. The charges were filed against Metuh and his company, Destra investment, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In his judgment, Justice Abang sentenced Metuh to seven years imprisonment in respect to Counts One to Three. On Count Four, the PDP spokesman was sentenced to five years while he got seven, three and seven years for Counts Five, Six, and Seven years respectively.
Abang held that all the sentences should run concurrently, with effect from February 25, 2020. The trial judge also sentenced Dextra Investment to pay a fine of N25 million with respect to Counts Five and Six, while Metuh was also ordered to pay a fine of N375 million.

Justice Abang further ordered that the account of Dextra Investment should be forfeited to the Federal Government and the company be dissolved.