Metuh’s offer to return N400m loot not sufficient – CACOL

Olisa Metuh is mischievously trying to get lesser sanctions; get empathy from the people and also to buy some time for himself……

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has lent its voice in support of the position of the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, that Mr. Olisa Metuh’s returning N400m was not enough to quash the case against him in the court following the his indictment in the #DasukiGate scandal.

The former National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, OlIsa Metuh is currently being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) following his arraignment on seven counts of money laundering against him by the Commission.

He allegedly received N400m from funds meant for arms procurement to fight insurgency from office of the former National Security Adviser, NSA.

Metuh who had been obstinate, unremorseful, unrepentant, arrogant and un-cooperative to the extent of tearing up his own written statement when he was been interrogated told the EFCC that he was now willing to return the N400m he received from the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA so as to walk free.

The Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, while reacting to the development stated that “Olisa Metuh is mischievously trying to get lesser sanctions; get empathy from the people and also to buy some time for himself.”

He said that once a criminal case is brought to the court, and the accused is found guilty the person must be given full punishment.

The Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, had said that “it would have been a different thing if the man (Metuh) had not been charged and maybe he was being interrogated and he quickly brought out the money during investigations. He can return the money and negotiate his way out although morally, it should not be but it is not illegal”

In agreeing with Prof. Itse Sagay, Adeniran, the CACOL Leader, explained that those who returned their loots did not do it out of their own freewill but because the authority was closing-up on them, so they must be panelized accordingly.

In concluding, he said “for those that have voluntarily returned funds, their punishment can only be discounted but not totally forgotten, as for the corruption criminals who make the state to expand so much more resources before their conviction is achieved. They must face the full wrath of the law.”