A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has struck out a suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, against a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, for retrial.
In a ruling, Justice Emeka Nwite, described the seven-count criminal charge in the suit filed by the EFCC, as an abuse of court process.
Justice Nwite, held that he aligned with the arguments of Chief Metuh’s counsel, Mr. Afam Osigwe and lawyer to his company, Chief Tochukwu Onwugbufor, that while the matter was pending before the Supreme Court, it was a gross abuse of the court for the commission to have filed the same matter for retrial before him.
The matter was scheduled for Chief Metuh to take his plea but Justice Nwite asked the counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Olanrewaju Adeola, about the current position of the matter.
Mr. Adeola informed the court that Metuh was convicted by the trial court and went to the Court of Appeal where the decision of the lower court was upturned.
He however prayed that rather than striking out the suit, the court should adjourn the matter indefinitely pending the hearing and determination of the appeal before the apex court.
After listening to the submissions, Justice Nwite, said there was no way the matter could come back to his court without resolving the issues before the Supreme Court and therefore struck out the suit.
RN