Witness narrates how she helps Metuh to transfer $2 million into his company’s account

Vanguard reports that the star witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Nneka Ararume, yesterday, narrated before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja how she helped the embattled National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, to transfer $2 million into his company’s account.

The witness, who testified as PW-1, told the court that she is a Wealth Manager at Assets & Resources Management, ARM, a company that hitherto managed the asset portfolio of Metuh’s firm, Destra Investments Limited.

EFCC had cited both Metuh and his firm as the 1st and 2nd defendants in the seven-count charge bordering on alleged N400million fraud.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the PDP spokesman had in November 2014, received N400million from erstwhile National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd).

The fund, which was withdrawn from an account the office of the NSA operated with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, was allegedly transferred to Metuh through account no.  0040437573, which Destra Investments Limited operated with Diamond Bank Plc.

EFCC insisted that whereas the fund was earmarked for campaign activities of the PDP, Metuh diverted most of it to his personal use.

It alleged that Metuh converted part of the money to one million US Dollars which he used for his personal businesses.

Besides, Metuh was alleged to have transferred the sum of N21.7m to another chieftain of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih.

In her testimony, yesterday, PW-1, Nneka, whose company specialised in management of equities, fixed income instruments and real estate, told the court that she received the $2m from Metuh at his residence in Abuja.

She said the money was eventually changed to its Naira equivalent through two Bureaux de Change, BDC, operators.

The witness said: “In early December 2014, the 1st defendant, Metuh, called me to bring report regarding portfolio of ARM.

“When I got to his house at Prince and Princess Estate, there were visitors in the living room, so I went to his home office and we discussed the portfolio.

“Thereafter, he gave me the sum of $2m in $100 bills. It was taken to bureaux de change operators who would then transfer the money to ARM. From there, I proceeded to Mr. Sie Iyenome’s office at Wuse 2 where I gave him the sum of $1m.

“I also invited Mr. Kabir Mohammed and gave him the sum of $1m to transfer the Naira equivalent in favour of Destra Investment Limited. Later on the same day, December 2, 2014, Messrs Kabir and Sie Iyenome confirmed the receipt. The $2m was in cash.”

The witness maintained that ARM was a duly registered organization that deals in funds of its clients, saying the business the firm had with Metuh and the BDC operators was based on trust.

Earlier, the court refused application by Metuh’s lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, for the matter to be adjourned till a later date to enable him gather documents, including the bank account details of his client, which he said would aid him to properly cross-examine the witness.

In a bench ruling, yesterday, Justice Okon Abang agreed with the EFCC lawyer, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, that all the documents were duly front-loaded by the prosecution in the proof of evidence before the court.

“This court is a court of summary trial. It is for the defendant to ask the witness questions based on her evidence, unless it does not have questions for her.
“The defendant has been accorded all the privileges stipulated in Section 36(6) of the 1999 Constitution. He has been given all the facilities to prepare his defence,” he said.

Justice Abang said the court should not be blamed if Metuh was not able to meet his bail conditions. (Vanguard Ngr)