Appeal Court cancels Metuh’s seven-year jail term, accuses trial judge of bias
The court of appeal in Abuja has annulled the conviction of an erstwhile spokesman of the opposition PDP, Olisa Metuh, who was slammed with a seven-year jail term by Justice Okon Abang of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court in February.
Mr. Metuh, who had been arraigned by the anti-graft EFCC for seven counts of money laundering to the tune of N400 million, was found guilty on all counts, having reportedly received the said sum from the office of the national security adviser under the Jonathan administration.
The appellate court in its ruling on Wednesday, accused Justice Abang of exhibiting bias towards the convicted PDP chieftain, in light of his prejudicial remarks in the course of proceedings.
Justice Stephen Adah, who delivered a unanimous judgement by a three-man panel of the court, set aside Mr. Metuh’s conviction, while ordering his retrial on the charges.
Justice Adah directed the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to reassign Mr. Metuh’s case to another judge for immediate commencement of a fresh trial.
Peoples Gazette could not immediately verify when the former PDP spokesman would be released from incarceration.
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