The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday granted permission to Mr. Ali Bello, Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu gave the approval after Bello’s lawyer, Zakari Abbas, moved the motion.
The application was not opposed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by Abbas Muhammed.
In a related ruling, the court also approved a travel request by Bello’s co-defendant, Yakubu Adabenege, to perform the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The pilgrimage is scheduled to hold between July 28 and August 27.
Earlier in the proceedings, the EFCC’s counsel, Muhammed, informed the court that the case was originally slated for the continuation of the cross-examination of the 7th prosecution witness, Offure Achille, a staff member of Access Bank in Lokoja.
However, he explained that Bello’s lead counsel, Abubakar Aliyu, SAN, was unavoidably absent due to another case at the Supreme Court and requested the matter be postponed.
Muhammed said their witness, who was present in court, would be unavailable for the afternoon session and asked for an adjournment.
The court was also reminded of two pending motions: one filed on May 12 seeking approval for Bello’s medical trip to London, and another filed on May 23 on behalf of Adabenege for Hajj.
Justice Egwuatu, in his ruling, granted both requests and ordered Bello to return his international passport to the court registrar by September 12, while Adabenege must deposit his travel documents by August 30.
The judge adjourned the trial to October 13 and 14 for continuation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in the motion filed by Bello, he requested two orders from the court.
The Chief of Staff to the Kogi State Governor sought permission to travel to the London Centre for Advanced Cardiology in the UK for a series of follow-up medical examinations and consultations with his personal cardiologist between July 30 and September 10.
He also asked the court to release his international passport, which is currently in the custody of the Deputy Chief Registrar, to enable him to undertake the trip.
In an affidavit he personally deposed to, Bello stated that the court had previously granted him permission to visit the same cardiologist from August 1 to August 31, 2023.
He confirmed that he travelled as approved and returned to Nigeria on August 18.
He further noted that the court had granted him similar travel permissions on three separate occasions, and he complied each time by returning as promised.
“That on the four occasions stated above, | travelled and returned, while also returning my international passport to the deputy chief registrar of this honourable court as ordered by the court,” he said.
At the resumed hearing on June 17, a witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Achille, admitted under cross-examination that the name of Ali Bello did not appear in any of the bank transactions related to the ongoing money laundering trial.
During questioning by Bello’s counsel, Aliyu, the witness, a banker, also confirmed her earlier testimony that funds had been transferred from Kogi State’s local government area (LGA) accounts to three companies: Fazab Business Enterprise, Hyzman ARY, and Construction Limited.
However, she told the court that no complaints were received from the LGAs indicating that the payments were fraudulent, unauthorized, or not for legitimate services rendered by the companies.
The witness further stated that she had no personal interest in the matter and that her testimony was given as part of her official duties.
Ali Bello is facing trial on charges of money laundering, including the alleged diversion of approximately N3 billion belonging to the Kogi State government and its local government councils.
He is being tried alongside Abba Adaudu, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, Iyada Sadat, and Rashida Bello on an 18-count charge.