- Court Strikes Out Dasuki’s Application Against Subpoena In Metuh’s Trial
- Court Judge Directs Bailiff To Serve Former President Jonathan Summons In 5 Days
- DSS To Produce Dasuki In Court October 31, 2017
Oct 25, 2017
NAN
Justice Abang Directs Court Bailiff To Serve Jonathan Summons In 5 Days, DSS To Produce Dasuki In Court October 31
Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Nigeria has directed the court bailiff to serve former Nigeria’s President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan with the summons of the court within five (5) days.
The court directive of the trial judge became imperative after Dr. Jonathan failed to appear in court earlier today to testify as a witness in defence of a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh.
Metuh’s lawyer, Barrister Ikpeazu told Justice Abang during Monday’s proceedings that he had written formally to the former President notifying him of his intention to have him testify in court but that the former President did not reply to his letter.
Metuh’s attorney said he intended to apply for a subpoena to be issued on Jonathan after the detained former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki earlier summoned to testify as Metuh’s witness would have ended his testimony.
Court Strikes Out Dasuki’s Application Against Subpoena In Metuh’s Trial
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital has struck out an application by the detained former National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Col. Sambo Dasuki, seeking an order setting aside the subpoena directing him to appear in court to testify as a witness in defence of a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh.
The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, ruled that having been ordered by the Court of Appeal in Abuja on September 29, 2017, he lacked jurisdiction to hear and determine the motion on merit.
Justice Abang said determining the motion on merit would amount to an attempt to review the judgment of a higher court, the Court of Appeal.
The presiding judge held that all issues raised by Dasuki, through his attorney, Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), had become academic since the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the complaints.
Justice Abang held that it would amount to “judicial anarchy” to hear Dasuki’s application on merit.
“If the applicant(Dasuki) is dissatisfied, he should know what to do and where to go, but certainly not this court,” the trial judge ruled.
Meanwhile, President Jonathan Fails To Appear In Court As A Defence Witness In Olisa Metuh’s Trial
Former Nigeria’s President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has failed to appear in court to testify as a witness in defence of a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh.
Justice Okon Abang of an Abuja Division of the Federal High Court had ordered the service of subpoena on Jonathan over the trial of Metuh on Tuesday, October 24.
The former PDP Spokesperson and his company, Destra Investments Ltd are facing a seven-count charge of receiving the sum of N400m from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Col. Sambo Dasuki since January 2016.
Metuh’s legal team led by Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), filed the draft subpoena before Justice Okon Abang shortly after the Monday’s proceedings. The former PDP Spokesperson had told the court, through his lead counsel, Ikpeazu Monday that he would seek to subpoena the ex-President as a witness.
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