Court grants Ajumogobia, Obla request to travel abroad for medical treatment

Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, on Thursday granted the Federal High Court judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia and a Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Godwin Obla leave to travel abroad for medical treatment.Justice

Hakeem Oshodi, in a short ruling, conceded to the request by Ajumogobia’s to travel abroad to attend to an urgent medical condition.

“The prosecution failed to give evidence why the applicant’s sickness cannot be treated in Nigeria. Also how the prosecution came to decision that defendant would jump bail is best known to him.

“I believe that the 1st defendant as a Federal High Court Judge has a lot to lose if she considers the idea of jumping bail.

” The Chief Registrar is hereby ordered to release the international passport of the 2nd defendant to enable her travel abroad between June 7-13, 2017. The defendant must return the passport to the Chief Registrar on or before July 1, 2017″, said Justice Oshodi.

The judge also granted the second defendant, Godwin Obla (SAN) leave to also travel to Houston, Texas in the US for medical treatment.

Ajumogobia through her counsel, Olawale Akoni SAN had sought the leave of the court to travel to the US for urgent medical attention in Morris Height Center, Bronx New York. In a 17 paragraph affidavit in support of her claim, Ajumogobia is said to be suffering from high blood pressure, hypertension, palpitations, and stress related issues.

Counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, had countered the application, contending that if Ajumogobia is granted leave to travel, she might jump bail and not come back to face her trial.

Oyedepo also contended that Ajumogobia’s request to travel for 30 days was a ploy to stall the trial.

Ajumogobia, who is standing trial along side senior lawyer Godwin Obla is accused by the EFCC of receiving a total of $793, 800 in several tranches from different sources between 2012 and 2015.

The judge was further accused of giving false information to EFCC operatives by claiming to be on admission in Lagos which was found out to be false, an offence contrary to section 39 (2)a of the EFCC establishment.

The EFCC, after the short ruling called its tenth witness,a legal practitioner, and Ajumogobia’s classmate and friend, Charles Musa told the court that she called him to help draw up a deed of agreement. “I sent her a mail about the terms of agreement and she did not get back to me again,” he said.

Oyedepo however tendered deed of agreement between Ajumogobia’s company, Nigel and Colive and another company, County and City Bricks, purportedly drawn by the witness,Musa who denied signing or drafting the deed of agreement between the two companies.

Justice Oshodi thereafter, adjourned the matter till July 7 for continuation of trial.