Yahaya Bello seeks court’s permission to retrieve his passport for urgent overseas medical care.
Prosecutors argue the request is improper, as court defers ruling on the travel plea.
Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to release his international passport to enable him to travel abroad for medical treatment.
At the resumed hearing on Friday, Bello’s counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), informed Justice Emeka Nwite of the application seeking the return of the defendant’s travel documents. Daudu explained that his client requires urgent medical attention overseas.
However, the prosecution, led by Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), opposed the motion, citing a counter-affidavit that challenged the application’s validity. Pinheiro argued that the same request had previously been filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, describing the action as an abuse of court process.
After hearing both parties, Justice Nwite reserved ruling on the application until July 21.
Meanwhile, during Friday’s proceedings, the fourth prosecution witness, Mshelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer at Zenith Bank, denied claims that he was harassed by security personnel attached to the former governor. This denial came under cross-examination and followed earlier remarks by EFCC counsel Pinheiro, who had alleged witness intimidation.
Bata clarified that he felt compelled to set the record straight regarding the allegation made at the start of the day’s proceedings.
In a related development, Daudu drew the court’s attention to a publication on the EFCC’s official website which claimed that the Commission’s witness had been harassed. He accused the anti-graft agency of distorting facts from the last court session.
Justice Nwite subsequently adjourned the trial to July 3 and 4 for continuation of proceedings, while the decision on Bello’s request to travel will be delivered on July 21.
