Court Jails Metuh for N400m ONSA Fraud, to Refund N425m to FG

Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Okon Abang today, Tuesday, February 25, 2020 gave a seven year jail term sentence to Chief Olisa Metuh, having found him guilty of all the seven-count charges, preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. He is also to refund the sum of N425million to the Federal Government.

Also convicted is his firm, Destra Investment Limited (2nd defendant), which was liquidated by the court.

The seven-count charge upon which the the former PDP National Publicity Secretary was jailed borders on money laundering, criminal conversion and diversion of funds to the tune of N400, 000, 000 (Four Hundred Million Naira).

Justice Abang directed that his firm, Destra Investment Ltd, should be wound up with all funds standing to its credit forfeited to the government.


Chief Olisa Metuh and his firm were convicted on all the seven-count money laundering charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against them.

The court found them guilty of unlawfully receiving N400million from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, prior to the 2015 presidential election, without contract approval or execution. 

Metuh was also convicted for involving in an illicit transaction that involved the exchange of $2million, in violation of extant financial regulations. 

While he was sentenced to seven years on counts 1, 2, 4 and 7 of the charge, the count handed him five years on count 3, three years on count 5 and 6. 

The firm was ordered to pay N25m with respect to both counts 5 and 6 of the charge.

The court held that the sentence would run concurrently starting from today.

(EFCC)