Olisa Metuh and Nigeria’s sick looters

“This is not a case of sympathy, but a case of law.‎ This court has no jurisdiction to entertain this application,” presiding judge, Justice Okon Abang, said in giving the judgment.

“The court is not Father Christmas to give to the defendant what it did not ask for. The application lacks merit. It is accordingly dismissed,” he added.

Metuh made the request after supposedly falling off a chair and “spraining his waist” on April 26.

An associate of the former PDP spokesperson also claimed that he was suffering from diabetes, arthritis and hypertension.

“Metuh was rushed to hospital last night. It is serious,” the associate, who chose to remain anonymous, said.

“He is managing high blood pressure, diabetes and arthritis. The doctor asked him to stay at hospital, but he refused because he wanted to appear in court today. He is just stubborn. He does not want his health to get in the way of his trial.

“This morning he vomited in his car on our way to the court. It is sad. I cannot say all that he is going through, but it is bad. His health is deteriorating,” the associate added.

Metuh’s lawyer, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) subsequently presented a medical report to the court claiming that his client had been hospitalized on doctor’s orders.

The credibility of the report was however questioned by the court due to the doctor’s failure to state the duration of bed rest Metuh would be required to observe.

“The medical report is not really helpful to the court as to the period he will be on the bed rest,” Justice Abang said.

“As an expert, the medical doctor ought to have provided the period in his medical report which the first defendant would have had an adequate and sufficient bed rest.

“I have been wondering if this omission was in good or bad faith because it is expected of a medical doctor to have stated the period of the bed rest. It cannot be hanging in the air,” he added.

Metuh's request to travel abroad was also challenged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which brought charges of money laundering against him.

The same Metuh who was alleged to have assaulted the Vice-Principal of British Nigerian Academy, Prince & Princess Estate, Abuja, Kola Pele because his son’s phone was seized is now claiming to be an invalid.

Former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, the alleged mastermind of the $2 billion arms deal fraud, is also sick and needs to travel abroad for medical attention.

Former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, who is alleged to have personally supervised the looting of $6 billion from Nigeria’s coffers, is also sick, with cancer.

Former PDP Chairman, Bello Haliru Mohammed, who allegedly participated in the arms deal fraud, appeared in court on January 5, 2015, on a wheelchair. He’s also sick.

Former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Alex Badeh allegedly laundered N500 million every month while in office, but he’s suddenlytoo ill to be detained.

The list is endless, and while the credibility of these physical illnesses are in question, there is no doubt that the looters of Nigeria’s funds are suffering from an illness of the mind.

Only a person with a mental condition will steal so much money from a third world country without remorse and still have the guts to attempt an escape by claiming to be sick.

The looters of Nigeria’s wealth are sick alright, but what they’re suffering from is a disease of the mind and not one of the body.