Deposit N1billion and I'll testify-Jonathan tells Metuh

Ex- President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday challenged the witness summon issued on him by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to appear today to testify as a defence witness in the trial of former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Olisa Metuh.


In an application filed yesterday by his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, Jonathan particularly wants the court to void the subpoena issued on him.


Alternatively, Jonathan prayed the court to direct Metuh to deposit with the court, for and on his (Jonathan’s) behalf, N1 billion only in line, with the provisions of Section 241(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 to cover travelling expenses for himself and his security personnel from his home town Otuoke in Bayelsa State, to Abuja and also for time that he might spend appearing before the court as President of Nigeria between 2010 to 2015.

In his ground of application Ozekhome submitted that the evidence sought to be obtained from the applicant will amount to an invasion of his personal right to privacy, and family life as provided for in Section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

Jonathan contended that Metuh was not a personal aid or appointee of the applicant herein and so could not have dealt with the President directly under any circumstance to warrant the invitation of the applicant to testify in the charge.

He argued that there is no nexus between the applicant and Metuh and the charge for which Metuh is standing trial