Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja has given reasons he demanded on Monday that former President, Goodluck Jonathan appear in court on Wednesday.
The judge confirmed that he had signed a subpoena compelling Jonathan to appear in court on Wednesday to testify in defence of a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh.
Justice Abang made the confirmation on Tuesday during the resumed trial of Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited, on 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.
Abang said he received Metuh’s application for a subpoena to be issued on Jonathan at about 3.59pm on Monday.
The judge said, “Indeed, at the close of business yesterday being October 23, 2017 precisely at about 3.59pm, the registrar forwarded to the court in chamber a subpoena to compel former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear in court to testify a the instance of the first defendant (Metuh).
“Therefore in line with section 241(1) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and having regard to the subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal in the appeal CA/A/159C/2017, between Olisa Metuh and Federal Republic of Nigeria dated September 29, 2017 to the effect that it will be tantamount to violating the right of the first defendant to fair hearing not to sign the subpoena.
“I have no option other than to sign a subpoena to compel former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear in court on September 25, 2017 (Wednesday)to give evidence at the instance of the first defendant.”
