Olisa Metuh’s case not struck out – EFCC

By Chimezie Godfrey

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has said that the suit it filed against the former National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh, for retrial is not struck out.

The EFCC, in a statement signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren noted that the attention of the commission has been drawn to false media reports making the round that the said suit had been struck out.

He therefore stressed that there is no modicum of truth in those media reports, adding that Metuh’s case is presently pending before the Supreme Court,

He said,”The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to some reports in the media, alleging that,  the Federal High Court, FHC, sitting in Abuja, on Monday, September 26, 2022, “ struck out a suit filed by the Commission against former National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh, for retrial.   

“We wish  to state unequivocally that, there is no modicum of truth in those reports.  Metuh’s case is presently pending before the Supreme Court, arising from the appeal by the Commission, as well as  his own cross appeal,    upon the judgment of the Court of Appeal which nullified the judgment of the trial court on alleged grounds of bias.  There is, therefore, no pending case before the Federal High Court to warrant striking  out of the same. 

“It bears reiterating that, the EFCC, has no fresh application for retrial of Metuh before the court. There can be no striking out of a suit that was not initiated or filed before the court.  Any report of striking out of a suit filed by the EFCC on Metuh, is a gross misrepresentation of the status of the case and the public is enjoined to ignore such reports.”

Uwujaren added that the EFCC is awaiting the judgment of the apex court,  against the discharge of Metuh, by the Court of Appeal,  in the N400 million money laundering charges instituted against him. 

He assured that the Commission will do nothing to abuse processes of the court, as it remains committed to total respect for the rule of law.