Jonathan

If all goes according to plan, Nigeria’s former President Goodluck Jonathan will appear before Federal High Court sitting in Abuja presided over by Justice Okon Abang on Wednesday, or at worse,  in a few days to say if he indeed authorized payment of N400 million to Olisa Metuh, former spokesperson of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for the purpose of carrying out publicity activities for his 2015 presidential campaign.

Justice Abang said on Tuesday that he had already signed a subpoena which will compel the former President to come to court to testify in defence of Metuh as requested by the defendant.

Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited, are being tried  on seven counts charges of money laundering involving bordering on cash transaction of $2m and fraudulent receipt of N400m designated for procurement of arms from the Office of the National Security Adviser.

Witnesses called by Metuh had claimed that the former President directed him to collect the funds from the office of NSA for the 2015 presidential campaign.

The Court of Appeal had earlier directed the court to issue a subpoena on former NSA, Sambo Dasuki to also testify in the matter as requested by Metuh.

Justice Abang said he issued the summons for the former NSA who is in custody of the Department of State Services to come to court to testify for Metuh.

The Judge said that he issued the summons in response to request by Metuh which he received on Monday.

‎ “Indeed, at the close of business yesterday being October 23, 2017 precisely at about 3.59pm, the registrar forwarded to the court in chamber a subpoena to compel former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear in court to testify a the instance of the first defendant (Metuh).

“Therefore in line with section 241(1) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and having regard to the subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal in the appeal CA/A/159C/2017, between Olisa Metuh and Federal Republic of Nigeria dated September 29, 2017 to the effect that it will be tantamount to violating the right of the first defendant to fair hearing not to sign the subpoena.

“I have no option other than to sign a subpoena to compel former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear in court on September 25, 2017 (Wednesday)to give evidence at the instance of the first defendant.”

But the registrar of the court said the bailiff had yet to serve the subpoena on Jonathan as at the time of hearing of the suit on Tuesday morning.