Alex Enumah in Abuja 

Justice Maryann Anenih of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will on July 17, decide whether former Governor of Kogi State, Mr Yahaya Bello, can go abroad for medical attention.

Justice Anenih fixed the above date for ruling on Tuesday, after lawyers representing the former governor and the prosecution made their submissions for and against granting Bello’s application for permission to travel abroad in order to attend to some health issues.

Bello is standing trial in an alleged money laundering case filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He pleaded not guilty to all the charges and have since been admitted to bail.

When the matter came up on Tuesday, his lead lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN), drew the court’s attention to an application filed on June 20, 2025, seeking an order for the release of the first defendant/applicant’s international passport by the Registrar of the court to enable him travel for medical attention.

But, the counsel representing EFCC, Chukwudi Enebeli (SAN), objected to the grant of the application on grounds that it could delay further proceedings, adding that the application is an abuse of court process since a similar one had already been filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the former governor is also standing trial.

Responding, Daudu pointed out that the defendant is already enjoying bail from the two courts, adding that it was the complainant that instituted the two separate charges in the separate courts.

“It will be a futile exercise to apply in one court and not to apply in the other court,” Daudu submitted.

The prosecution counsel, Chukwudi Enebele (SAN), while defending the EFCC’s counter-affidavit, said Yahaya Bello should have put his sureties on notice with regards to his application to travel out of the country.

According to him, the sureties need to decide whether they would want to continue to stand as sureties for him when he travels.

He added that by filing the same application at both the FCT High Court and Federal High Court, the defendant’s counsel were setting the courts on a collision course.

“If Federal High Court refuses that application and my lord grants it, it will make mockery of our judicial system,” the EFCC lawyer argued.

Responding, Daudu said on the issue of suretyship, the sureties were already aware.

“We need not put them on notice,” he said.

“Finally, on the interpol matter, Daudu said that the issue of Interpol likely to arrest the applicant is a dead argument, the applicant having submitted himself for trial.

“He has never flouted your lordship’s order. They themselves have even forgotten about those red alerts,” the lawyer added, urging the court to grant the application.

After listening to both parties, Justice Anenih adjourned the case to July 17, 2025 for ruling.

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