Olisa Metuh asks Abuja court to grant him leave to go to the UK for medical treatment

FORMER Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) publicity secretary Chief Olisa Metuh has asked an Abuja high court to grant him permission to travel to the UK for medical treatment despite facing corruption charges.

Chief Metuh is being charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) , which alleges that before the 2015 presidential elections, he received N400m from the Office of the National Security Adviser, without executing any contract. Yesterday, he arrived for the continuation of his trial before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, in a wheelchair.

Wheeled into the courtroom to continue his defence of the seven-count charge the EFCC preferred against him and his firm, Destra Investment Chief Metuh told the court he is unwell and needs medical attention abroad. Speaking through his lawyer, Emeka Etiaba, who told the court that his client’s health had badly worsened over the past two months, Chief Metuh  applied to be allowed to travel to the UK for medical treatment.

Mr Etiaba said the situation would require urgent medical attention from Chief Metuh's doctors in London. He tendered as an exhibit, a letter from one Dr Adrian Kasey, a Neurosurgeon at Wellington Hospital in London, which he said emphasised the need for Chief Metuh to be treated urgently.

However, trial Justice Abang requested both the prosecution and defence lawyers address him on whether the court could grant Chief Metuh’s request considering that he previously dismissed two similar applications on May 25, 2016 and on February, 2017. On February 9, Chief Metuh was brought to court in an ambulance after Justice Abang threatened to revoke his bail and commit him to prison if he failed to appear for his trial.