Justice Hamza Muazu of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, said he cannot grant former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele permission for medical trip to the United Kingdom, because the defendant did not submit application for such
Justice Muazu stated this on Tuesday when he ruled on the matter at the resumed hearing.
Mu’azu, in upholding the objection by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), also said though the court had the discretion to grant Emefiele the travel permission, he is standing trial on various charges in three courts, two in the FCT and one in Lagos.
The court held that Emefiele could not prove the need for the scheduled trip between 28 July and 10 September with any medical appointment in any UK hospital.
Mu’azu also held that “the letters of invitation for medical follow-up are not attached.
“As it stands now, I cannot use my discretion to grant the application, and he is standing trial in three courts.
“The application is hereby dismissed, and the adjourned date for continuation of trial still stands,” the judge held.
The EFCC, while opposing Emefiele’s foreign medical trip application, said the former CBN chief could abscond from his trial if allowed to travel abroad.
In June, Enefiele’s lawyer, Mathew Burkaa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, informed the judge of the defendant’s medical trip application.
The judge subsequently heard the parties’ arguments on the application on 8 July.
At the hearing, the former CBN governor, through another of his lawyers, Labi Lawal, urged the court to release his passport, previously seized as part of his bail conditions, to enable him to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment.
However, the prosecution counsel, Muhammad Omeiza, argued that no medical report was presented to the court demonstrating that Mr Emefiele was suffering from an ailment that could not be treated in Nigeria.
