Metuh arriving in court from Kuje Prison

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, who went to collect PDP spokesman Olisa Metuh, from Kuje Prisons, Abuja today humiliated him with a handcuff.

Metuh thus appeared in court for his bail hearing wearing the handcuff, bringing back memories of a former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun, who was similarly handcuffed by the EFCC during his trial for theft in 2005.

Metuh and his company were alleged to have received N400million from the Office of the National Security Adviser, from part of the funds meant to buy arms to fight insurgency in Nigeria’s north east.

Olisa Metuh

Olisa Metuh: stepping into the court

Justice Abang, in a ruling also ordered that Metuh produce two sureties of N200 million each, who must must own property in Maitama, Abuja and be resident in Abuja.

The judge ruled that the sureties must produce the certificates of occupancy of the property which must be verified by the Chief Registrar of the court and confirmed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The judge also ordered that Metuh must deposit his traveling documents with the court pending the period of his trial, also ordered the EFCC to verify the residences of the sureties who must be resident in Abuja.

The judge said Metuh should not be released until he fulfilled the bail conditions.

According to the judge, the court lacked jurisdiction to make pronouncement that the defendant was illegally detained in the EFCC custody.

He said the offence for which the defendant is standing trial was a bailable one, adding, “it is a trite law that an accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”

The EFCC had arraigned Metuh on a seven-count charge bordering on N400 million money laundering, being money paid into his company account by Office of National Security Adviser.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Justice Abang adjourned the case to Jan. 25 for hearing.