‘NSA’s payment of N400m to PDP’s spokesman legal’
FOR Ifedayo Adedipe, the counsel to Olisa Metuh, the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a press statement issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) spokesman, Wilson Uwajaren, was a misrepresentation of proceedings of the court to the public.
Adedipe told Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court at the resumed hearing of the case of human rights abuse instituted by the PDP spokesman against the EFCC for detaining him illegally for two weeks that Uwajeren sent a one-sided report of what happened when one of the commission’s officers, Junaid Sa’aid, testified against Metuh as a persecution witness in a criminal case levelled against him.
But EFCC counsel , C.O Ugwu disagreed, just as he instead, accused journalists of having the penchant for deliberately distorting court proceedings in their reports .
Adedipe had complained to Justice Abang that EFCC deliberately hid from its press statement, certain facts established in court, including the acknowledgement by an EFCC operative during cross examination, that Metuh never ate his statement while with the commission.
He also read out a section in the document from the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA) where it was stated that the N400 million payment to Metuh followed due process, which the witness accepted as the truth.
Adedipe also complained that the said statement failed to state that the EFCC operative had said in the course of his investigation, that he did not come across any evidence that Metuh had any personal relationship or direct dealings with the former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd). Metuh’s counsel further told Justice Abang that his client was under trial by the court and not by EFCC or the press.
“It is your Lordship that is trying Chief Metuh, not the press or EFCC”, he said.
He then urged the court to take action to prevent the continued misrepresentation of court proceedings . “Uwajaren was not here during the proceedings. Half-truth is a ie and we should not justify what is unjustifiable.
“I wish to appeal, through this honourable court to the EFCC that its essence as an institution created through the instrument of law is not to fight political war. May I therefore plead through my Lord to the defence to first of all recognise that as a statutory body created by an Act of the National Assembly, it is meant to serve the interest of the public at large”, Adedipe added. He then urged the court to take action to prevent the continued misrepresentation of court proceedings.
But while trying to absolve Uwajaren, of blame , Ugwu maintained that journalists were in the court of their own volition to report proceedings and that the press he knew had the penchant for sensationalism.
He described as a problem, the fact that Nigerian journalists would hear what happened but go home and misinterpret it.
His words: “I know the press, they have the penchant for sensationalism. This is the problem we have in this country. They will hear what happen but go home and misinterpret it.”
The EFCC counsel also attempted to defend the purported statement issued by Uwajaren to the media on the ground that it was a true statement of the eighth witness.
But the counsel to Metuh had brought the copy of the said press statement issued by Uwajaren purportedly stating an aspect of the court proceedings.
The media was awash with different headlines on Wednesday, on the proceedings, with many alleging that Metuh bought a house worth N500million in Banana Island, Lagos.
However, in his short ruling after hearing the two counsel, Justice Abang declined action on the matter on the ground that it was a civil case. He rather stated that the matter should be brought up during the continuation of the criminal case against Metuh.
A ruling on human rights violation against Metuh was, however, adjourned till March 7 by Justice Abang after listening to both parties.
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