A Federal High Court has varied the bail conditions given to the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh.

Trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, today changed his earlier order that the sureties must be property owners in the Maitama area of Abuja only to an order that the two sureties must be owners of properties in any area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He, however, retained the sum of bail which he put at 400 million Naira.

Justice Abang declined the request of the prosecution, who asked the court to expunge him as part of the verification exercise of the bail conditions on the ground that it is not in his place to make orders for the court.

The judge said that the prosecutor is an officer of the court and he is not to tamper with any order of the court.

He ruled that should the prosecutor refuse to comply with the order of the court, he would be charged for contempt.

In his application, counsel to Metuh, Sylvanus Tahir, told the court that the bail conditions were too stringent.

According to him, his client has no friends or relatives with properties in Maitama area of the FCT, as such, the court should vary the conditions to allow for property owners in any other part of the FCT to stand as sureties for his client.

The Prosecuting Counsel, who did not oppose the application and whose oral application was discountenanced by the court on the grounds that he ought to have filed a written affidavit indicating his opposition, however, asked the court to also vary the aspect of the conditions, which orders him to be part of the verification process of the bail conditions .

Mr Metuh is standing trial for corruption, money laundering and criminal breach of trust.

The opposition party’s spokesman had on Monday, January 25, requested for a variation of his bail conditions. (Channels TV)

•Photo shows Olisa Metuh in handcuffs during a court appearance.

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