Former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, has sought for an order of a Federal High Court, Abuja, extending his stay in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on medical ground.
Adoke, through his lawyer, Edidiong Usungurua, made the application, on Tuesday, while moving a motion on notice marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/39/2017 dated and filed on Nov. 10 before Justice Inyang Ekwo.
Usungurua urged the court to extend the ex-minister’s stay by two weeks to enable him complete the medical procedures.
Justice Ekwo had, on Oct. 8, granted Adoke’s plea to travel to UAE for medicare between Oct. 11 and Nov. 15.
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The judge, who granted the prayer, ordered Adoke’s counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, to give an undertaking that his client would return to the country to face his trial.
He also ordered the deputy chief registrar, Litigation, of the court to inform the Nigerian Immigration Service of the leave of court for Adoke to travel.
The judge, who directed that the travel documents be returned to the court registry not later than three days upon his return to the country, had adjourned the matter until Dec. 6 for trial continuation.
Earlier, Usungurua said the motion was brought pursuant to Sections 35 and 41 of the 1999 Consitution and the inherent jurisdiction of the court.
He stressed that the application was filed on the ground that the former AGF was yet to round off his medical procedures.
“Tthe 1st defendant/applicant is praying for an order of the court, extending by two weeks (that is, from Nov. 15 to Nov. 30, the time within which the 1st defendant/applicant may stay in the UAE, Dubai, having not rounded off his medical procedures,” he said.
The lawyer reminded that since Adoke was arraigned, alongside Aliyu Abubakar (the 2nd defendant), and granted bail, he had diligently attended his trial and not behaved in a manner suggestive of either disrespect to the court or an attempt to jump bail.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling, granted the prayer after the lawyer to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nnenna Oko, indicated that the commission was not opposing the request.
Justice Ekwo, who granted the prayer, ordered that the earleir adjourned date, Dec. 6, for trial continuation would still subsists.
Adoke and Abubakar are being tried by the EFCC on a 14-count charge of money laundering.(NAN)