Some of the suspects arraigned by the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) last month for alleged fraud in
the Petroleum Support Fund for fuel subsidy have approached the Lagos
High Court for permission to travel abroad.
Those who applied for the release of their international passports to enable them travel are Mahmud Tukur, son of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur; Abdullahi Alao, son of prominent businessman, Abdulazeez Arikesola-Alao; and Felix Ochonogor.
The EFCC had in July arraigned Misters Tukur, Ochonogor and Alao before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of the Lagos High Court, on charges of conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretence, forgery and use of false documents.
In an application, dated 14 August 2012, brought before the vacation Judge, Justice Lateefat Folami, the applicants through their counsel, Olaniran Obele said they needed to travel to Paris and London for a business trip.
Specifically, Mr Tukur, the first applicant wants to travel to attend a board meeting of which he is a director and also intends to use the opportunity to perform the hajj.
Mr Ochonogor, the second applicant also wants to travel to Paris to enable him attend what he says is a boardholder meeting which should have held last month but was rescheduled to 27 August to enable him attend and explain his present situation before the board.
The applicants tendered three exhibits comprising Notices of Meetings which they intend to attend both in London and Paris.
Their lawyer told the court that the applicants will not abscond if their application to travel is granted, adding that the first applicant’s father, Bamanga Tukur who is the PDP Chairman stood surety for him and he would not want to jeopardise that.
The second applicant the lawyer said was abroad in Ukraine when they were charged and was called by the first applicant and he came back voluntarily to the country for his arraignment.
Opposing the application, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo told the court that Justice Onigbanjo’s order asking the applicants to deposit their International Passports with the EFCC has not been reviewed.
He said there was nothing in the exhibits tendered by the applicants that showed or suggested that the meeting to be attended by the second applicant has been rescheduled.
To him, granting the applicants permission to travel could open an escape route as was experienced in former Delta state governor, James Ibori’s case.
He therefore urged the court not to grant them permission to travel.
Those who applied for the release of their international passports to enable them travel are Mahmud Tukur, son of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur; Abdullahi Alao, son of prominent businessman, Abdulazeez Arikesola-Alao; and Felix Ochonogor.
The EFCC had in July arraigned Misters Tukur, Ochonogor and Alao before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of the Lagos High Court, on charges of conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretence, forgery and use of false documents.
In an application, dated 14 August 2012, brought before the vacation Judge, Justice Lateefat Folami, the applicants through their counsel, Olaniran Obele said they needed to travel to Paris and London for a business trip.
Specifically, Mr Tukur, the first applicant wants to travel to attend a board meeting of which he is a director and also intends to use the opportunity to perform the hajj.
Mr Ochonogor, the second applicant also wants to travel to Paris to enable him attend what he says is a boardholder meeting which should have held last month but was rescheduled to 27 August to enable him attend and explain his present situation before the board.
The applicants tendered three exhibits comprising Notices of Meetings which they intend to attend both in London and Paris.
Their lawyer told the court that the applicants will not abscond if their application to travel is granted, adding that the first applicant’s father, Bamanga Tukur who is the PDP Chairman stood surety for him and he would not want to jeopardise that.
The second applicant the lawyer said was abroad in Ukraine when they were charged and was called by the first applicant and he came back voluntarily to the country for his arraignment.
Opposing the application, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo told the court that Justice Onigbanjo’s order asking the applicants to deposit their International Passports with the EFCC has not been reviewed.
He said there was nothing in the exhibits tendered by the applicants that showed or suggested that the meeting to be attended by the second applicant has been rescheduled.
To him, granting the applicants permission to travel could open an escape route as was experienced in former Delta state governor, James Ibori’s case.
He therefore urged the court not to grant them permission to travel.
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