Justice Abang insists Jonathan must testify in Metuh’s trial

Former president Goodluck Jonathan was absent in court Wednesday to testify as witness in the corruption trial of former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh.

The absence of former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, also stalled the same proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The court had earlier granted the request of the accused, Metuh, asking that both men come and testify as witnesses.

But the judge noted that though Dasuki had been served with the court subpoena, Jonathan had yet to be served, and so could not be blamed for HIS absence.

Justice Okon Abang, has now given the court bailiff five days to serve the former President with the subpoena compelling him to appear in court.

The court also wants the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to explore administrative means of ensuring that the Department of State Service produce Dasuki in court next Monday.

The High Court has on Wednesday declared the appointment of returning officers and their deputies by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as illegal and irregular.

In its ruling, the court said that the process in which the hiring of constituency returning officers and their deputies was conducted is illegal.

Delivering the judgement, High Court Judge Justice George Odunga said the electoral commission failed to follow the law while hiring the officials.

However, judge Odunga declined to revoke the gazette notice on the appointment of the returning officers and their deputies.

The petition contesting the appointment of the election managers was lodged by Khelef Khalifa, the director at Muslim for Huma Rights through lawyer Willis Otieno.