Justice Maryann Anenih of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory was on Tuesday asked to turn down a request by former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to travel out of the country for medical vacation.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in its counter-motion against the request of the former governor, said granting the request may further delay the trial before the court.
EFCC Counsel, Mr Chulwudi Enebele, SAN, told the court that Bello’s application was an abuse of court process.
He called on the court to reject the application and dismiss it.
Bello had through his Counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, sought an order for the release of his international passport by the Registrar of the court to enable him to travel for medical attention.
The Prosecution Counsel, Chukwudi Enebele, SAN, while defending the EFCC’s counter-affidavit, said Yahaya Bello should have put his sureties on notice with regard to his application to travel out of the country.
According to him, the sureties need to decide whether they would want to continue to stand as sureties for him when he travels.
He added that by filing the same application at both the FCT High Court and Federal High Court, the Defendant’s Counsel were setting the courts on a collision course.
“If Federal High Court refuses that application and my lord grants it, it will make mockery of our judicial system,” the EFCC lawyer argued.
Responding, Daudu said, on the issue of suretyship, the sureties were already aware.
“We need not put them on notice,” he said.
Finally, on the INTERPOL matter, Daudu said that the issue of likely arrest of the applicant was a dead argument, adding that the applicant submitted himself for trial.
“He has never flouted your lordship’s order. They themselves have even forgotten about those red alerts,” the lawyer added, urging the court to grant the application.
After listening to both parties, Justice Anenih adjourned the case to July 17, 2025, for ruling on the application.
