'I can never betray Goodluck Jonathan, I only need him to prove that I am innocent' ex-PDP spokesperson

Former PDP spokesperson, Olisa Metuh, says he would never allow himself to be used against ex-President Goodluck Jonathan. Metuh through his counsel had asked the Federal High Court to issue a summon on Former president Goodluck Jonathan to appear as a witness in his ongoing trial. Metuh is 

accused of collecting N400 million from the office of the former Naitional Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court on Monday October 23rd, signed the summons and asked the court Bailiff to ensure it gets to Jonathan so he can appear at the next court hearing.

In a statement released yesterday October 26th, Metuh says he is not calling on Jonathan to appear in court to humilate him but he wants the former president to come into the witness box to prove that he is innocent in the charges of money laundering leveled against him by the Federal government.

“It is, therefore, inconceivable and completely ridiculous for anybody to think that I would for any reason betray or surrender myself to be used against President Goodluck Jonathan, for whom I have immense respect and served diligently, without any apologies, in and out of office. To what end will I 

conspire with the same set of people, who singled me out to be humiliated and openly handcuffed, while spreading all manner of malicious stories against me, most of which they even denied outright in court while others remain completely unsubstantiated? Ordinarily, the content of the charge against 

me in the Federal High Court should not breed any worries but for the fact that it now appears that the anti-corruption fight has shifted the burden of proof to a defendant once an allegation is made. Without prejudice to all the foregoing, I accept that it was the need for corroboration of lack of mens rea on my part that led my lawyers to request for the evidence of the respected former President to assist them in proving my innocence.”

Metuh in his statement said that as a result of the controversies that have emanated from his invitation to Jonathan to testify in his case, he has asked his lawyers to review the subpoena.

“However, with all the controversies arising from the reports of the said pronouncements and the attendant concerns thereof, I have instructed my legal team to revisit and review the entire issue of the subpoena,” he said