Goodluck asks Metuh to pay N1m in travel costs if he wants him to appear as court witness

FORMER president Dr Goodluck Jonathan has asked the Abuja Federal High Court to set aside the subpoena ordering him to appear in person as a witness for ex-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) publicity secretary Chief Olisa Metuh and if not he be paid a sum of N1m ($2,761) as travel costs.

 

Chief Metuh and his company Destra Investments are facing seven counts of money laundering involving alleged cash transaction of $2m and fraudulent receipt of N400m meant for procurement of arms from the Office of the National Security Adviser. Following several applications by Chief Metuh, Justice Abang Okon ordered Dr Jonathan to appear in court as a witness to testify in defence of his friend.

 

In response, Dr Jonathan has sought an order directing Chief Metuh to deposit with the court for and on his behalf the sum of N1bn to cover his travelling expenses for himself and his security personnel from his home town in Bayelsa State to Abuja. Dr Jonathan said the money was also to cover the time that he might spend appearing before the court.

 

According to the former president, his request was in line with the provisions of Section 241(2 ) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. Among the grounds of the motion filed yesterday by Chief Mike Ozekhome on behalf of Dr Jonathan was that the evidence sought to be obtained from his client would amount to an invasion of his privacy and family life as provided for in Section 37 of the constitution.

 

Furthermore, the ex-president contended that the evidence sought to be obtained from him was likely to expose him to a criminal charge, penalty or forfeiture. He argued that the subpoena was vague and obtained on frivolous ground.

 

Dr Jonathan added that the subpoena was obtained in bad faith as it was meant to embarrass him. According to Dr Jonathan, Chief Metuh was not his personal aide or an appointee and so could not have dealt with him directly under any circumstance to warrant the invitation of the applicant to testify in the charge.

 

He also submitted that there was no nexus between him and Chief Metuh and the charge for which he is standing trial. In addition, the former president said he knew nothing about the charges preferred against Chief Metuh.

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