By Asuquo Cletus Felix
A Federal High Court sitting in Maitama Abuja, led by Justice Hamza Mu’azu on Tuesday, dismissed the application of a former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele for leave of the court to travel to the United Kingdom (UK) for medical examination.
In a statement issued by Mr Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity for the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Emefiele had through his lawyer, Labi-Lawal on Monday, July 8, 2024 filed an affidavit seeking the release of his passport to enable him embark on a UK medical trip, which was opposed by the EFCC through its prosecution counsel, Muhammad Abbas Omeiza.
According to the Anti-graft agency, Omeiza, through a counter-affidavit, told the court that there was no medical report before it that showed that the defendant was plagued by an ailment, and if there was, no evidence was advanced by the defence to show that it could not be treated locally in Nigeria.
The prosecution counsel in addition noted that Emefiele deposited his passport with the court as part of the fulfilment of his bail conditions, arguing that releasing it to him would amount to the court varying his bail conditions.
Arguing also that Emefiele was a flight risk, the prosecution counsel noted that “the defendant has co-conspirators all over the world. One Anita and Tony are all aides of the defendant who are currently in the UK. The defendant might be tempted to jump bail because he is standing trial in three different courts.”
In response, the defence counsel dismissed the prosecution’s arguments as speculative, noting that the EFCC can issue an international red alert on Emefiele to enable his arrest if he made the foreign medical trip and refused to come back.
In dismissing the application on Tuesday,, Justice Mu’azu held that there was no medical report indicating that
Emefiele was plagued by any ailment and that the fact that he is standing trial in three different courts was fatal to the application.
“It is an exercise of the court’s discretion to allow the defendant to go on a medical trip. The defendant through his counsel undertook an affidavit to produce him in court, and his offences are bailable and where there is need for the court to grant him the application to travel, the court should do so, but as it is, I failed to see any letter of medication in the defendant’s applications.
“As it stands, I cannot exercise my discretion to allow the defendant to travel out of the shores of the country, moreover he is also standing trial in three other courts, therefore the application has failed, and hereby dismissed,” the judge held.
The EFCC is prosecuting Emefiele on 20-count amended charges bordering on conferment of corrupt advantages, conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, forgery and obtaining by false pretences to the tune of $6,230,000.00 (Six Million, Two Hundred and Thirty Thousand United States Dollars).
