Lawmakers of the house of
representatives were divided on Tuesday over a motion seeking to intervene in
the ongoing trial of Olisa Metuh, former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic
Party Party (PDP).
Metuh, who is being tried for
alleged money laundering, was brought to the federal high court, Abuja, on
Monday on a stretcher, after the trial judge threatened to withdraw his bail.
At the plenary on Tuesday, Chris
Azubogwu, a PDP lawmaker from Anambra state, raised a motion titled the ‘Urgent
need to save the life of Olisa Metuh’.
Azubogwu said the life of the
former PDP spokesman is in danger following his prolonged detention in the
custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He said it is sad that Metuh had
to appear in court on a stretcher on the order of the court, amid his
“deteriorating” health condition.
The lawmaker alleged that courts
have in the past, granted application for overseas treatment for individuals
undergoing trial but has “denied” Metuh such opportunity.
He, therefore, prayed the house
to urge the court to grant the politician the opportunity for overseas treatment
“so as to attend to his health”.
But Emmanuel Orker-Jev, an APC
lawmaker from Benue state, drew the lawmakers’ notice to order 9 rule 1 of the
house.
He said the order stipulates that
no decision shall be made on any matter whose judgement is pending in such a
way it will give prejudice fo any party involved.
“The motion seeks to question
what the court is doing. If the motion passes, what will happen?” he asked.
“If the court does not give him
fair hearing, he can go to the higher court and not the national assembly.
Constitutionally, we are not supposed to be deliberating on this motion. It is
premature to address this issue.”
Bode Ayorinde from Olabode
Ayorinde from Ondo state and also an APC lawmaker concurred with Orker-Jev.
According to him, Metuh’s appearance in court on a stretcher is to “attract
sympathy”.
“If a lawyer (Metuh) does not
want to appear on a stretcher, he could have brought his medical certificate
and showed the court,” he said.
He also argued that the matter
has been adjourned “for more than a month”, so “there is nothing to appeal the
court to do.”
On his part, Yakubu Dogara,
speaker of the house, drew the attention of the lawmakers on the principle of
separation of powers.
According to him, the legislature
is prohibited from infringing on the powers and functions of the judiciary,
likewise the judiciary prohibited from infringing on theirs.
“The way the court treats a case
is absolutely left to the jurisdiction of the court,” he said.
Dogara, however, sought the
opinion of the lawmakers as to how the matter could be handled “so it doesn’t
look like we are infringing on the powers of the court.”
Edward Pwajok, an APC lawmaker
from Plateau state l, suggested the motion can be amended “in such a way that
the prayers therein will be directed to the attorney-general of the federation
(AGF)”.
“This motion is important
considering the nature of issue involved. If the trial is going to continue,
the man has to be alive to face trial. And we are talking about his health
here.
“So we should rather direct the
prayers to the AGF who is the chief prosecutor in the case,.and not the court.”
In their resolution, the
lawmakers, therefore, urged Abubakar Malami, the AGF, to “look into the matter
and ensure the accused is given appropriate medical treatment.”
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Nobody intervenes when it has to do with the so called common man!!!
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