UPDATED: Alleged Fraud: Appeal Court nullifies Olisa Metuh’s conviction, orders fresh trial

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Wednesday, nullified the seven-year jail sentence handed a former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Olisa Metuh.

The court held that Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja was biased in handling the case of the former PDP spokesman.

Mr Metuh, who held sway under the Goodluck Jonathan administration, was prosecuted by the anti-graft agency, EFCC, alongside his company, Destra Investment, on a seven-count charge of diversion of illegal monies received from Sambo Dasuki, an ex-National Security Adviser.

The former spokesman was also accused of transacting with the sum of $2 million without going through a financial institution, in violation of a provision of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.

The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were arraigned before the court in January 2016.

‘Guilty as charged’

On February 25, 2020, the high court found the defendant guilty on all counts of money laundering and sentenced him to seven years in jail.

The former spokesman who was dissatisfied with the decision, filed an appeal through his counsel in March 2020 arguing that he was denied a fair trial.

He said the judge was biased during the trial because of ”some remarks he made”.

Mr Metuh then asked asked the court to upturn the ruling.