Judge refuses to withdraw from PDP spokesman's case

dimeji akinloye

April 8, 2016 4:29 PM

Justice Abang held that the application was an abuse of court process, and therefore dismissed it.

Justice

In the application Metuh's counsel, Emeka Etiaba, had asked the judge to disqualify himself from the case on the grounds that he had been unfair to his clientin the trial.

But counsel to the prosecution, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Sylvanus Tahir, asked the court to dismiss the application, stressing that it lacked evidence.

“There is no reason a reasonable man will think that the presiding judge has exhibited any conduct which has cast doubt on his ability to dispense justice fairly,” he said.

“The defendant alleging bias against the court has not provided evidence. We urge your lordship to dismiss the application. The honourable judge is not a party to this case. He is not on trial.”

However, while delivering his ruling, Justice Abang held that the application was an abuse of court process,and therefore dismissed it.

READ: Court refuses to stop Olisa Metuh's trial

Metuh is facing a seven-count of charge of criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N400m.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him, maintaining that he only received the sum of N400m from the office of the former national security adviser to carry out media campaigns for former President Goodluck Jonathan for the 2015 presidential election.

dimeji akinloye