The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday expressed doubt over claim by former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, that he was ill and on admission at the National Hospital, Abuja.

The EFCC urged Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to discountenance Metuh’s claim of ill-health in the absence of a truly certified medical report to that effect.

EFCC’s lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir, spoke the commission’s mind while opposing an application for adjournment on health ground, made by Metuh’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), at the resumption of proceedings in the trial of the ex-PDP spokesman and his company, Destra Investment Limited.

They are standing trial on seven-count charge of money laundering.

At the resumption of proceedings on Tuesday, Metuh was absent in court.

When asked by Justice Abang why his client was not in court, Ikpeazu said Metuh was on admission at the National Hospital, Abuja.

Ikpeazu said, “The first defendant is absent because he is sick. He was rushed to the National Hospital in Abuja on Sunday after he collapsed while trying to stand up from his seat to sing in his church.”

He said Metuh was also taken from the National Hospital to an Indian hospital in Karu, Abuja, for further examination and later back to the National Hospital, where he was still being admitted in the hospital’s Ward A4.

Ikpeazu said in view of some further examinations being carried out on his client, the hospital was unable to issue any medical report for him to present in court.

He urged the court to adjourn to the next day to enable him obtain a medical report from the hospital.