Court permits Ex-NNPC boss who 'looted' $9.7m to travel abroad for medicals

dimeji akinloye

May 24, 2017 11:11 PM

Justice A. R. Mohammed gave the defendant the go-ahead to travel to the United Kingdom for a medical check-up.

An Abuja High Court has granted the embattled NNPC boss,

Ruling on the application filed by Yakubu's counsel, Ahmed Raji (SAN), Justice A. R. Mohammed gave the defendant the go-ahead to travel to the United Kingdom for a medical check-up.

The judge held that "since the prosecuting counsel is not opposing the defendant's motion dated 23rd May 2017 seeking leave to be granted to the defendant to travel to the United Kingdom to continue treatment, the application is granted."

Justice Mohammed also agreed with the prosecuting counsel, Prince Ben Ikani, that the passport of the defendant be released to his counsel in the interim adding that, "the leave is granted is for a period of three weeks commencing from May 25, 2017."

Other conditions attached to the release of the passport are:

1. The defendant shall return to the country on or before the expiration of the three weeks granted.

2. One of the sureties of the defendant shall file a separate affidavit to be liable in this case should the defendant refuse to return and take his trial.

3. The same affidavit shall be filed before the international passport is released to the defendant's solicitor.

4. Upon his return from his medical trip, the learned counsel for the defendant shall immediately return the international passport to the chief registrar of the court.

The case has been adjourned to July 6, 2017, for the continuation of trial.

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On February 3, 2017, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) found a cash haul to the tune of $9,772,000 and 74,000 Pound Sterling stashed in a huge fire-proof safe inside a building belonging to Yakubu.

Yakubu later admitted to the ownership of the recovered cash.

He is facing a six-count charge of money laundering, non-disclosure of assets and fraud.

dimeji akinloye