4th February, 2016
A witness in the ongoing trial of the National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh, and his company, Destra Investment Limited on Thursday, 4 February told Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that, he was paid a total sum of N25m out of the N400 million arms fund linked to the PDP spokesperson.
Abba Dabo, while being led in evidence by counsel to EFCC, Sylvanus Tahir, told the court that, he was paid a total sum of N25m, through the second defendant’s company account, Destra Investment Limited on December 16, 2014.
Dabo, a retired public servant and special adviser on political matters in the office of the former Vice President, was a former Editor of Sunday New Nigerian, and Gaskia Tafi kwabo, and also one time Deputy National Chairman, PDP North.
According to him, the said money was for the purpose of media and publicity campaign for the PDP presidential election.
Explaining how the money was expended, Dabo told the court that he created a media support system and a website called “WhatsApp Nigeria” to run media advocacy campaign for the party.
“I raised a team of facilitators and young internet experts were also employed to manage the website,” Dabo stated.
The witness further told the court that, he was shocked to hear through the media that the money given to him by Metuh was part of the funds set aside to procure arms for fighting insurgency.
“Therefore, I decided to return the money to EFCC,” Dabo said.
Justice Abang, at the instance of counsel to the second defendant, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, adjourned to February 9, 2016 for further hearing.
Metuh is being tried for allegedly receiving N400 million from former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), who is also being tried for laundering $2.1 billion.