The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has amended the charges of destruction of evidence filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama, Abuja, against the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh.
With the amendment, another count of obstruction of officers of the commission has been added to the initial two, and the PDP spokesperson will be made to take a fresh plea to all the three counts when the matter comes up before Justice Ishaq Bello on Friday.
The amended charge has been filed before the FCT High Court and served on Metuh’s lawyers on Thursday.
Before the amendment, the EFCC had on January 21 arraigned Metuh on two counts, including destruction of his statement on January 5, 2016, allegedly to prevent it (the statement) from being tendered as evidence in court.
In the second count, Metuh was accused of “mischief” which he was said to have committed by tearing the said statement “with intent to cause wrongful loss or damage to the property of the EFCC.”
He had pleaded not guilty to the two counts and the trial judge, Justice Bello, had fixed Friday for trial.
But the defendant will have to take a fresh plea with the fresh amendment to the charges.
Metuh was said to have torn a statement which he made to the commission under caution on January 5, while he was being investigated for the charges of fraud bordering on the 400m which he collected from the Office of the National Security Adviser in November 2014.
However, under the additional third count, the PDP spokesperson is accused of obstructing officials of the EFCC on the same day.
According to the anti-graft agency, the said offence is contrary to and punishable under section 38(2) of the EFCC Establishment Act 2004.
The law provides for a punishment of maximum of five years jail term or N20,000 fine or both imprisonment and fine.
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