The immediate past National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Olisa Metuh’s lead defence counsel, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), has said his client has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that he is willing to return the N400m he allegedly received from the Office of the National Security Adviser in November, 2014.
The money was said to have been released to him to launder the alleged bad image of former President Goodluck Jonathan a few months to the 2015 presidential election which Jonathan eventually lost.
Ikpeazu, in a telephone interview with Punch correspondents on Thursday, said Metuh had always indicated to the EFCC that he was willing to return the money right from when the anti-graft agency invited him for questioning before charges were filed against him.
The lawyer said he advised Metuh after his trial began before a Federal High Court in Abuja to write a letter to the EFCC, indicating his intention to return the N400m, which he stated the former PDP spokesperson heeded.
He insisted that Metuh initially thought the money came from former President Goodluck Jonathan but readily indicated to return the money as soon as the EFCC made him to realise the money was from the ONSA.
The money was said to have been released to him to launder the alleged bad image of former President Goodluck Jonathan a few months to the 2015 presidential election which Jonathan eventually lost.
Ikpeazu, in a telephone interview with Punch correspondents on Thursday, said Metuh had always indicated to the EFCC that he was willing to return the money right from when the anti-graft agency invited him for questioning before charges were filed against him.
The lawyer said he advised Metuh after his trial began before a Federal High Court in Abuja to write a letter to the EFCC, indicating his intention to return the N400m, which he stated the former PDP spokesperson heeded.
He insisted that Metuh initially thought the money came from former President Goodluck Jonathan but readily indicated to return the money as soon as the EFCC made him to realise the money was from the ONSA.
