N400m fraud: Olisa Metuh Wants Judge Replaced

THE trial of Chief Olisa Metuh was yesterday stalled
following a petition by a lawyer representing the
spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the
Chief Judge of Federal High Court demanding the
replacement of Okon Abang as the trial judge in the
corruption case.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has
arraigned Metuh for illicitly receiving N400 million meant for
the purchase of arms for the fight against Boko Haram.
Metuh who had pleaded not guilty to the seven-count charge
was to open his defence yesterday after the court dismissed
his no case submission for lacking in merit.
However, his lawyer, Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) sought for an
adjournment due to the absence of the defence lead
counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) who was absent on health
ground. It was in the process of ruling on the application for
adjournment that Justice Abang disclosed in open court that
Metuh has written a petition against him.
The letter by Emeka Etiaba, made public by the judge as the
case resumed, introduced a new twist in the trial.
Justice Abang asked prosecution and defence lawyers
whether they were aware of the letter sent to the Chief
Justice of the Federal High Court, Ibrahim Auta.
“Are you aware that after eight witnesses were called by the
prosecution, and the court gave its ruling on an application
of no case submission by the defence, that Mr. Emeka
Etiaba wrote the registrar to the Chief Justice of the Court,
asking that this case be transferred to another judge?” he
asked.
According to the judge, the reason alluded by Mr. Etiaba for
the request of transfer of the case was that the judge had
given certain interlocutory judgments in favour of the
prosecution, and that he (Mr. Abang) was Mr. Metuh’s
former classmate.
The letter also alleged that the court had refused to give the
defence recordings of the previous ruling.
“I am not aware that the first defendant was my classmate,
he said he is my classmate,” said Justice Abang.
The prosecution said he was not aware of the letter, and
one of Mr. Metuh’s counsel, Ifedayo Adedipe, said “any letter
written by a member of the defence is a letter by the
defence team.”
Pressed by the judge for a definite answer, Mr. Adedipe said
he had learnt in his long career as a lawyer to thread
carefully.
Justice Abang denied he had been biased against the
defence, saying the court had approved three adjournments
at the request of the defence.