SAN FRANCISCO, May 21, (THEWILL) – Mr. Olisa Metuh, former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has collapsed at the Federal High Court in Abuja as he was making his way to the dock for his resumed trial.
Metuh is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the N400m he allegedly received fraudulently from the Office of the National Security Adviser in 2014.
He fell down shortly after the case was called on Monday while the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, asked the court officials to explain what happened.
The officials informed the court that when the case was called, Metuh was making his way to the dock when they all heard a loud noise and noticed the defendant on the floor.
Unmoved, the trial judge continued with the trial even though Metuh was still on the floor and insisted that Metuh’s counsel call his eleventh witness in the trial.
However, Metuh’s counsel, Emeka Etiaba in disapproval withdrew from the trial saying he cannot go ahead with the trial when his client is lying on the floor.
He noted that his client is obviously ill and has been confirmed by the medical personnel of the court.
Justice Abang, however, in his ruling on the application refused to withdraw the application saying it was an attempt to delay the matter.
Metuh is being attended to by medical officers in court.
THEWILL recalls that the trial earlier witnessed a dramatic turn on Monday, February 5, 2018 when Metuh appeared at the Federal High Court in Abuja on a stretcher, days after the trial judge ordered him to show up or face the risk of forfeiting his bail.
Metuh on Wednesday, March 14 also approached a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, to grant him permission to travel abroad for medical treatment.
This permission was however dismissed by the court.
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