Court Permits Okupe To Travel Abroad, Orders Release Of Int’l Passport

The Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja has ordered the release of the international passport of Doyin Okupe, and has granted him permission to travel for medical treatment in the United Kingdom.

Okupe, who was the former Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the then President Goodluck Jonathan, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) on charges bordering on alleged money laundering and criminal breach of trust of about N702million.

Value Trust Limited and Abraham Telecoms Limited are the second and third defendants in the case, while Ibrahim Audu is the prosecution counsel.

Justice Ifeoma Ojukwu gave the ruling on Friday, following application filed by the first defendant’s (Okupe) counsel, Akinlabi Akingbade.

She gave the orders on the account that “in reality we do not have good hospital in the country” to attend to some medical concerns.

“But perhaps, if we have good hospitals people would not travel abroad”; she also agreed based on evidence, that the applicant has needs of a cardiologist.

The defendant’s counsel had prayed the court to allow his client to travel abroad, adding that he has never violated any court instruction since the trial began.

“My Lord, we seek an order granting leave to the first defendant to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment from March 10 to May 24, 2020.

“We also seek an order for the release of his international passport to travel,” Akingbade added.

He argued that Okupe had also complied on June 26, 2019 when this court granted a similar application by resubmitting his international passport upon return to Nigeria

He also added that the applicant was in very serious poor health and that it is only when he is alive that he could stand trial; adding that the prosecution would lose nothing if he travels and returns as he has never missed any trial.

He also drew the court’s attention to a “scandalous” claim made by EFCC’s counsel, that “politicians want to travel abroad so as to relax with white ladies in Bahamas.”

Justice Ojukwu rebuked the prosecution Counsel for telling her to “take judicial note of a trending video” in that claim.

“It is not something you should put in your address,” she said to the prosecution.

But the EFCC’s counsel, Ibrahim objected the motion, adding that the applicant only has appointment with the doctor on March 12.

“My Lord, this is a criminal trial and for the applicant to be away for 8 weeks is unreasonable,” Ibrahim said.

He argued that Okupe is going for check up and that there are good hospitals in the country to do that.

Justice Ojukwu also allowed Okupe to speak on his health.

“My Lord, I am not going for medical check-up; I have problems with my heart and denying me from travelling is like a death sentence.

“I can’t play games with my life and heart; I am an elder statesman in this country,” Okupe said.

In her ruling on the motion, Justice Ojukwu ordered the release of the international passport of Okupe, so as to enable him travel to the United Kingdom from March 7 2020 to 30 April.

But she added that the applicant should submit his passport within 7 days of return.

“The court will not ignore the application of the first defendant,” she said.

She adjourned till 19 and 20 May for the continuation of trial.