The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday admitted into evidence, records of expenditure of the N400 million said to have been fraudulently received by the former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh.
The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang admitted the document titled; “President National Assignment Account, into evidence and marked it as exhibit D20.
Metuh, while testifying at the resumed hearing of the case said the N400 million was paid to him by former President Goodluck Jonathan for a special national assignment and that he disbursed the money under the directives of the former president, after which he also tendered account with receipts of payments to him.
The records of account tendered by Metuh bore details of the disbursements and signatures of those who received funds in the execution of the said special national assignment.
Led in evidence by his counsel, Abel Ozioko, the former PDP Publicity Secretary insisted that no part of the money was used for the campaign activities of the PDP.
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He informed the court that he had no dealings with an aide of the former vice president, Abba Dabo, the seventh prosecution witness, with respect to the special national assignment explaining that the N25 million he paid to Dabo was from the PDP for PDP activities and not from the N400 million.
“All the dealings I had with Dabo had nothing to do with the special national assignment.
“Nothing about Dabo was contained in the record of account submitted to the former president and there is no record of payment made to Dabo in the special national assignment,” Metuh said.
He told the court that he had previously testified in court that as National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, he usually made payment from his personal resources for party activities after which he got refunds from the party.
He drew the attention of the court to exhibit D11 tendered by the Head of PDP Publicity Directorate, Mrs Chinwe Nnorom which reflected a refund of N25 million to him for the fund he paid to Dabo for a project he carried out for the party.
Further hearing in the suit was adjourned till April 10 for continuation of trial.
