Justice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Tuesday, declined to entertain application filed by Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan to travel abroad for medical care.
In his application, filed by his counsel, Kolawole Salami, Dudafa urged the court to order the release of his international passport to enable him travel abroad for medical care for spinal cord injury.
He alleged that he sustained the injury while in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Dudafa was charged by the EFCC, over alleged N5.1 billion fraud.
He was charged alongside Joseph Iwuejo, who the EFCC claimed, aided him to perpetrate the alleged fraud.
The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris had ordered that Dudafa should deposit his passport in the custody of the court as part of the conditions for his bail.
In his application, Dudafa informed the court that the medical appointment, earlier scheduled for July 18 and 19, was rescheduled for July 28 to enable him get his passport.
He appealed to vacation judge, Justice Chuka Obiozor, to hear and grant the application on grounds of ill health.
However in his reaction, Obiozor refused to entertain the application, saying he saw no emergency in the request.
He insisted that if there was any emergency, the application ought to have been brought before the trial judge (Justice Idris) since May when it was filed.
Attempt by Dudafa’s counsel to convince the Obiozor to hear and grant the application rebuffed.
He urged parties to wait until Oct. 16 when the case comes up for hearing before the trial judge Justice Mohammed Idris.
NAN recalls that Dudafa and Iwejuo are standing trial before Justice Idris on 23 counts bordering on fraud and money laundering.
The EFCC alleged that between June 2013 and June 2015, the accused used different companies to fraudulently launder various sums of money to the tune of N 5.1billion.
Some of the companies includes: Seagate Property Development & Investment Ltd; Avalon Global Property Development Company Ltd; Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd.
Others are: Rotate Interlink Services Ltd; Ibejige Services Ltd; DeJakes Fast Food & Restaurant Nigeria Ltd; and Ebiwise Resources. (NAN)
UNS/AEA
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