Justice A. R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja has
granted permission to a former NNPC Boss, Andrew Yakubu to travel to the United
Kingdom for medical check-up.
Ruling on the application brought by Yakubu’s counsel, Ahmed
Raji, SAN, Justice Mohammed said, “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.”
The judge also agreed with the prosecuting counsel, Prince
Ben Ikani, that the international 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: “The defendant shall return to the country on or before the expiration of
the three weeks granted; 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; The same affidavit shall be filed before the
international passport is released to the defendant’s solicitor; Upon his
return from his medical trip, the learned counsel to 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 continuation
of trial.
Yakubu’s troubles started on February 3, 2017, when
operatives of the EFCC stormed a building belonging to the former NNPC boss and
recovered a staggering sum of $9,772,000 (Nine Million, Seven Hundred and
Seventy Two Thousand United States Dollars) and £74,000 (Seventy Four Thousand
Pound Sterling) stashed in a huge fire proof safe.
Following the raid, Yakubu on February 8, 2017 reported to
the Commission’s Kano Zonal Office where he admitted being the owner of both
the house and the money recovered.
The offence breaches Section 7(4)(b)(ii) of the Advance Fee Fraud & Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 7 (5) of the same Act.
The offence breaches Section 7(4)(b)(ii) of the Advance Fee Fraud & Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 7 (5) of the same Act.
He is currently facing a six-count charge of money laundering, non-disclosure of assets and fraud.
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