Things seem not to be getting better for embattled spokesman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Olisah Metuh who is being detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with the alleged diversion of $2.1 billion arms procurement funds by the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Angered by his continued incarceration despite repeated protests, Metuh was on Tuesday said to have torn his own confessional paper when asked by EFCC investigators to sign it.
According to EFCC sources, he also made an attempt to swallow the paper but was stopped by officials who managed to retrieve the torn paper from him.
The commission’s officials believe Metuh destroyed the statement after realising the gravity of the evidence against him.
The EFCC is therefore considering filing additional charges against the PDP spokesman for allegedly destroying a major evidence in the case against him.
An EFCC source told our Crime correspondent that Metuh’s action amounted to a wilful damage of government property.
“The tearing of statement is tantamount to wilful destruction of government property and it is a serious offence. Also, the fact that he obstructed operatives from performing their job is a criminal offence.
“We will explore the possibility of filing a separate charge against him at the Federal Capital Territory High Court,” the source said.
Meanwhile, Metuh has admitted receiving N400 million from former President Goodluck Jonathan for an assignment which he has refused to disclose to EFCC.
He insisted that the assignment was carried out to the satisfaction of the former President.
He said he would only speak further on the assignment in an open court
A statement released by his aide, Richard Ihediwa on Tuesday read in part: “In exercise of his rights, he has since given his statement to the EFCC wherein he submitted that he received the sum of N400m from the former President for an assignment, which he executed to the satisfaction of the former President.
“In further exercise of his rights, Metuh has also indicated his readiness to make public the nature of this assignment, but only in an open court in line with the laws of the land, and where his statement would not be distorted by anybody.”