Hearing of two applications by the former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Olisah Metuh, was stalled on Monday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, due to the absence of his counsel, Mr Onyeachi Ikpeazu (SAN.

One of Metuh’s application before the court is for an order of court to compel the Department of State Security Service (DSS) to produce former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki to testify in his defence.

The other application is for the release of his international passport, which is in the custody of the court’s registrar to enable him travel abroad for medical treatment.

At the resumed trial , counsel to the second defendant, Mr Tochukwu Onwugbufor (SAN) told the court that Ikpeazu was not in court because he was at the FCT High Court.

Onwugbufor said he went to the FCT High Court to inform Ikpeazu that the court had stood down his matter till later in the day, but he (Ikpeazu) could not leave the court.

He said that at the time he entered the FCT High Court, a prosecution witness had tendered documents and a counsel was objecting to the admissibility of the documents.

“When I arrived the court, a prosecution witness, Babatunde Adepoju, an operative of the DSS had tendered a multiple of documents and a defence counsel was already objecting to the admissibility of the documents.

“Ikpeazu told me that it was his turn next to object to the admissibility of the documents and he could therefore not leave the court as the court would not allow him to leave.”

Onwugbufor said that Ikpeazu had utmost respect for the court and as such, had asked him to apologise on his behalf over his absence, adding that his action was not deliberate.

He therefore asked for an adjournment.

Responding, prosecuting counsel, Mr Sylvanus Tahir, said that he left the matter to the discretion of the court, adding that he thought Onwugbufor would have held the brief of Ikpeazu.

The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, adjourned the matter till Feb. 22, saying it was in view of the passionate plea of Onwugbufor.

Earlier, Onwugbufor told the court that Ikpeazu had written to the court for an adjournment on the grounds that he was at the FCT High Court.

Onwugbufor who noted that the Federal High Court and the FCT High Court had coordinate jurisdiction, however, prayed the court for an adjournment.

He said this was because the matter in the FCT High Court had been granted accelerated hearing.

He urged the court to stand down the applications to enable Ikpeazu to be available to move them.

His co-counsel, Mr Emeka Etiaba (SAN) had also written a letter praying the court for an adjournment on the grounds of ill health.

The trial Judge, Justice Okon Abang, said the court would discountenance the letter written by Etiaba since he was not the lead counsel in the matter.

He stood the matter down to 1.30 p.m, saying it was in the overall interest of justice, adding that the defendants had exhausted the number of times they could ask for adjournment.
Metuh who is on trial over alleged N400million money laundering charges, had asked the court to subpoena Dasuki, as his testimony was essential to his defence.

Metuh had called six witnesses in his defence, but said that Dasuki’s had to testify as well since the case against him was that he collected the money in question from Dasuki’s office.

Abang, however, asked Metuh to approach the relevant authority detaining Dasuki and ask for his release.

He said it was only after he had exhausted that option without success, that he could approach the court to issue an order.