•Bank sacks manager for testifying in NIMASA case

By Moshood Adebayo and Lukman Olabiyi

Justice of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, Ishaq Bello, yesterday, adjourned the trial of Olisa Metuh, spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), because he saw “shadows.”

After the case was called, Bello complained to the counsel of the prosecution and that of the defendant that his vision had become “shadowy”, hence, the trial could not continue.

He had earlier presided over a case before that of Metuh was called.

“I had surgery on my eyes, and I am already seeing shadows… so, for this reason, we will have to adjourn,” he said.

Thereafter, the trial was adjourned to May 26.

Metuh, who was in court, is facing charges for destruction of evidence brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He is also facing multiple counts of criminal breach of trust and money laundering, preferred against him by EFCC at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Meanwhile, a Lagos State High Court, sitting at Igbosere area of the state has heard  of how an employee of a second generation bank was sacked after testifying in an ongoing fraud case. Miss Rita Ifeadi, a manager with the bank had, last March,  appeared as a witness in the  trial of former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) Patrick Akpolokemi.

Akpobolokemi and five others were facing trial before Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court, Lagos, for alleged fraud of N2.6 billion in the agency.

In her testimony, Ifeadi, narrated how accounts were opened in her Bar Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos  branch in the name of NIMASA’s contractors which later operated by  employees of the agency.

But, her subordinate, Ihekoromadu, while testifying yesterday before Justice Raliat Adebiyi  said her superior had been sacked after testifying in the case.

She made the disclosure while being cross-examining by a  defence counsel, Mr. Lanre Olayinka, who had earloer confronted Ihekoromadu with some documents which the court had earlier admitted as exhibits.