Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh to seven years in prison after having been found guilty of money laundering in the sum of N400 million.
Justice Abang handed down the sentence on Tuesday while delivering judgement in the suit instituted against Mr Metuh by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The anti-graft agency charged Metuh, who is standing trial alongside his company, Destra investment, with seven counts bordering on criminal diversion of the money received from the office of the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Sambo Dasuki.
“It is my view that Metuh took possession of the N400 million from the office of the NSA without contractual agreement; he is guilty of money laundering and is hereby convicted on count one,” Mr Abang said while delivering the judgement.
According to a report by The Channels, Justice Abang sentenced Mr Metuh to seven years imprisonment in respect to Counts One to Three.
On Count Four, the PDP spokesman was sentenced to five years while he got seven, three and seven years for Counts Five, Six, and Seven years respectively.
He, however, held that all the sentences should run concurrently, with effect from February 25, 2020.
The trial judge also sentenced Dextra Investment to pay a fine of N25 million with respect to Counts Five and Six, while Metuh was also ordered to pay a fine of N375 million.
Justice Abang further ordered that the account of Dextra Investment should be forfeited to the Federal Government and the company be dissolved.
