• Armsgate: Metuh knows fate Feb 23
Paul Obi in Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday recovered 17 exotic vehicles in a warehouse of the former Comptroller-General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko Inde, located at Nnamdi Azikwe Street, Kaduna Town, Kaduna State.
According to EFCC Head of Media and Information, Wilson Uwujaren, “the recovery was sequel to an intelligence report the commission received that stolen money and property suspected to be proceeds of crime were being warehoused at the former customs boss’ premises.
“Upon receipt of the intelligence, a team of operatives from the Kano Zonal Office of the EFCC were deployed to carry out the investigation on the matter.
“On arrival at the location, two individuals who were identified to be the custodians of the property – Dantala Mohammed and Ahmed Balarabe, were presented with a search warrant,” Uwujaren said.
He stated that “in the course of the search, a total of 17 vehicles among which are brand new cars, shuttle buses and SUVs were found in the premises.
“Consequently, the vehicles and the two individuals were conveyed to the commission’s zonal offices in Kaduna and Kano respectively. Investigation revealed that the warehouse in question actually belongs to the former customs boss.
Particulars of the vehicles recovered included among others: Black colour BMW 525i series, 2010 model with chassis number WBAFR7108BC262936. Ash colour Hyundai Velester, 2012 model with chassis number KMHTC6AD4CU056038, Dark Blue BMW 325i, 2003 model with chassis number WBAEV31090KL48386.
Black colour Land Cruiser Prado Jeep, 2014 model with chassis number JTEBU3FJ50K082080,
Black colour Mercedes G wagon, 2013 model with chassis number WDB4632361X207661, Black colour BMW 335i series, 2012 model with chassis number WBA3A91040F268895, Silver colour Peugeot 406, 2002 model with chassis number VF3BBRFNR81519018, Black colour Land Cruiser Prado Jeep, 2014 model with chassis number JTEBU3FJ10K082352.
The two suspects arrested are in custody assisting the EFCC in investigation.
Meanwhile, former Public Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, will know his fate on February 23, 2017 as to whether the Federal High Court Abuja will release his international passport for him to seek medical attention outside of the country.
Metuh, who is standing trial along with Destra Investment Limited on a seven-count charge bordering on money laundering, will also know whether the court will grant his prayers urging the court to subpoena Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), from whom he is accused to have received N400million while he was National Security Adviser, as he would not be able to proceed with his defence, without Dasuki taking the witness box.
Onyeachi Ikpeazu (SAN), counsel for Metuh had on May 23, 2016 through a previous application dated May 16, 2016 made a similar application seeking the permission of the court to allow his client “travel to the United Kingdom for five weeks to attend to his failing health”.
The presiding judge, Justice Okon Abang, however dismissed that application.
At the sitting today, Ikpeazu in moving the application, argued that “this application is distinct” from the earlier one, noting that, “this is a prayer for variation in bail condition”, and “bordered on the life and health of the defendant.”
He further argued that it wanted the court to subpoena Dasuki, because “without his testimony the entire defence has no foundation to rest and we didn’t go to NSA to remove money from them”.
Justice Abang, however asked him if he had called all the other witnesses the defence had forwarded to the court to which Ikpeazu answered, “No, I have not”.
Prosecution counsel, Silvanus Tahir, advanced arguments contained in his 15 paragraph counter affidavit vehemently opposing the request for Metuh’s international passport to be released to him and urged the court to “dismiss the application and instead sustain the tempo of the trial or order a most speedy trial”.
Justice Abang ruled that: “Ruling will be delivered on 23rd February, 2017 on whether these applications subsist or either of them, or in the event they are overruled, then the defence will be at liberty to call further evidence in this matter
