The Abuja Division of the Federal
High Court on Wednesday said former spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, stage-managed his fall in the court room on Monday to
stall his trial.
The court then ruled for
continuation of the trial on Thursday.
Mr Metuh is facing a seven-count
charge before the court for alleged diversion of N400 million from the office
of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
The former PDP spokesperson, who
was diagnosed of having spinal cord injuries, fell while walking towards the
dock on Monday.
On Tuesday when the case resumed,
Mr Metuh did not appear in court.
His lawyers linked his absence to
his health condition and applied for an indefinite adjournment of the trial.
But the prosecution objected to
the application, following which the court adjourned until Wednesday to rule on
it.
When the court resumed on
Wednesday, the trial judge, Okon Abang, gave the ruling that the trial should
continue, saying there is still no valid evidence before the court for the
defendant’s absence.
According to Mr Abang, Mr Metuh
did not collapse in the court room on Monday but rather fell on his own while
walking towards the dock, after ignoring the directives of the court to sit for
his trial.
“And while on the floor, he made
series of groans which stopped the proceedings making the court room look like
an accident scene,” the judge said.
“There was no attempt even by
those he came with to raise him, which also delayed the proceeding for 29
minutes.
“However, the court doctor was
not in the court to see what transpired, so how did she know there was an
emergency?
“And as a court doctor, you are
expected to have invitation to attend to emergencies, so who gave her the order
and who is she to tell the court that the defendant was in need of medical
attention?”
Mr Abang said the first
defendant’s fall on Monday was deceitful, describing it as something planned or
calculated.
“It is a complete disregard and
disobedience to the court and so the defendant has jumped bail, as there is no
reasonable application for the defendant’s absence.
“And as such, the trial will
continue 24th May 2018 by 1p.m,” he said.
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