Olisa Metuh says he can no longer feed his family because EFCC have frozen all his bank accounts

FORMER People’s Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman Prince Olisa Metuh has told a federal high court that he can no longer feed his family because his bank accounts have been frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Last year, Prince Metuh was arrested by the EFCC  and is facing corruption charges over allegations that before the 2015 presidential elections, he received N400m from the Office of the National Security Adviser without executing any contract. Although subsequently released on bail while the case goes on, the court ordered him to forfeit his international passport and the EFCC has frozen his bank accounts.

Testifying in court yesterday, Prince Metuh said he learnt that a no debit order was placed on his accounts on Monday night when he tried unsuccessfully to make a transaction. He added that the freezing of his accounts has made it difficult for him to either feed his family or buy items as common as water and pain-relieving medicine like Panadol.

Prince Metuh said: “The EFCC seized my accounts yesterday night and I can’t get money to feed my family. I am in total shock as I am here talking to you.

“I don’t even know what to say. They seized all my accounts in every bank in this country and as I am, I don’t have money to buy Panadol or water to drink.”

He queried why the EFCC would freeze his accounts, having allegedly seized his assets including the Asset and Resource Management Company and his funds in other banks. According to Chief Metuh, the action of the EFCC has denied him access to his funds worth more than the amount at stake in the trial.

“They have alleged in this case that N400m was stolen, so why would they not limit it to that amount? I don’t know how I am going to feed my family as I don’t have access to any money at all but I am ready to end this case and submit myself to the judgment of this court,” Prince Metuh added.

In his testimony, Prince Metuh claimed his trial was because he was critical of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) while he was in office. He tendered the print-outs of some media reports of the news conferences he addressed as PDP spokesperson in July 2015 which were critical of the APC and the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, noted that the issue Prince Metuh raised about his accounts was not part of the case before the court. He thus asked Prince Metuh to ask his lawyer to discuss the issue with the lead prosecuting lawyer Sylvanus Tahir, who was equally in court.