According to a top officer of the commission, who confided in PUNCH on Tuesday, alleged that Metuh tore the statement when it was brought to him for his signature.
The source alleged that the PDP spokesman tore the statement he had earlier made to shreds and attempted to put the pieces in his mouth when operatives stopped him.
Metuh was arrested by the EFCC last week for allegedly receiving N1.4bn meant for the purchase of arms from a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).
The source said the interrogators believed that the PDP spokesman destroyed the statement after realising the gravity of the evidence against him.
The top operative added that the commission was considering filing additional charges against Metuh for allegedly destroying a major evidence in the case against him.
He added that the action of the PDP spokesman 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.
Efforts to get Metuh’s aide, Mr. Richard Ihediwa, to react to this latest development did not succeed as calls to his mobile telephone indicated that it was switched off.
There was a report last week that the EFCC was investigating the account of Destra Investment Limited, owned by Metuh.
According to the report, the EFCC investigators discovered that Destra Investment Limited was used to fund the PDP’s activities, including its 2015 campaigns.
The EFCC alleged that the company, which had N6, 676,576.06 as of November 24, 2014, recorded a balance of N1.4bn by last December.
Some of the deposits in the account are N400m from the Office of National Security Adviser on November 24, 2014; N253m on December 2 and 4, 2014 from Ibrahim Kabiru, whose identity had yet to be confirmed; N91m on December 2, 2014 from Capital Field Investment; and N92m on December 3, 2014.
Meanwhile, Metuh has said he will no longer speak to investigators about the N400m he collected from former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He said rather, he would only speak in an open court.
Metuh had admitted before the EFCC operatives that he received N400m from Jonathan, but refused to disclose what the money was meant for or for what job.
In a statement by his Special Assistant, Ihediwa, in Abuja on Tuesday, Metuh claimed that he executed a project for the former President but refused to explain the job he executed for the ex-President that fetched him the huge sum the paper reports.
No comments:
Post a Comment