Judge denies Emefiele’s request to travel abroad for medicals over fear of abscondment 

 

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, July 16,  turned down former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor Godwin Emefiele’s request for permission to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment.

 

The judge, Hamza Mu’azu, dismissed Mr Emefiele’s foreign trip application, upholding the objection by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

EFCC, which is prosecuting Mr Emefiele on corruption charges in different courts, argued in opposition to the application that Emefiele could take flight from his trial if allowed to travel abroad.

 

Persuaded by EFCC’s contention, the judge held on Tuesday that Mr Emefiele could not prove the need for the scheduled trip between 28 July and 10 September with any medical appointment in any UK hospital.

 

Mr Mu’azu also held that though the court had the discretion to grant Mr Emefiele the travel permission, he is standing trial on various charges in three courts, two in FCT and one in Lagos.

 

The judge said: “The letter of invitation for medical follow-up is 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.”

 

EFCC is prosecuting Mr Emefiele in 20 amended counts of conferment of corrupt advantages, conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, forgery, and obtaining about $6.23 million belonging to the Nigerian government by false pretence.

 

Mr Emefiele, governor of the CBN for nearly a decade, faces corruption charges in separate trials in Abuja and Lagos. The cases were instituted against him after President Bola Tinubu removed him from office in June 2023.