By Vivian Okejeme Abuja–
Th e Court of Appeal, Abuja, has ordered the Department of State Service, (DSS), to produce former National Security Adviser, (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, to give evidence in the trial of former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh. Metuh is standing trial on a 7-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and corruption as well as money laundering off ences brought against him by the federal government.
Th e former PDP spokesman, who was arraigned on January 15, 2016, was alleged to have received the sum of N400, 000,000 (Four hundred million naira) from Dasuki, being proceeds of fraud. He pleaded not guilty to the 7-count charge. Th e defendant, in the course of his trial, fi led an application before the trial judge, Justice Abang, to subpoena Dasuki for him to come and testify in his (Metuh) defence, but the court turned down the request. Not satisfi ed with the decision of the lower court, Metuh then headed to the appeal court to dismiss the decision.
Th e apex court, by its threeman panel, in its unanimous ruling, ordered Abang to immediately sign the subpoena fi led by Metuh. Th e lead justice of the panel, Justice Peter Ige, directed Justice Abang to indicate the date which the DSS must produce Dasuki in court and other subsequent dates. Justice Abang, had on the 23 of February, 2017, declined to grant an application fi led by Metuh, praying the court to summon Dasuki by way of a subpoena to testify as witness on grounds that the application was lacking in merit and substance. Justice Abang in his ruling, held that the former NSA was not a compellable witness in the trial since the defendant did not make
