Metuh Challenges EFCC’s Detention In Court

A Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday turned down an application by the spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, to speedily hear his suit challenging his prolonged detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Metuh is accused by the EFCC of receiving N400 million, a part of diverted arms money by the office of the National Security Adviser, and has been held for more than one week.
The EFCC has yet to arraign him, saying Metuh refused to refund the money.
Metuh filed a motion at the court, through his counsel, Ifedayo Adedipe, on Wednesday, demanding the immediate commencement of hearings on his suit.
Adedipe told the court in his interlocutory application that the arrest and continued detention of his client were unconstitutional, saying that the EFCC has no right to arrest and detain any one, without charging the person to court.
But the presiding judge, Justice Okon Abang, said the matter was merely an interlocutory application, not a substantive issue and so cannot be granted an accelerated hearing.
“I so hold that in such an interlocutory application parties before a court can only be heard within the confines of the rules of court,” Abang said.