Court okays foreign medical trips for Ofili-Ajumogobia, Obla

A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has granted the embattled Federal High Court judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Godwin Obla, leave to travel abroad for medical attention.

Justice Hakeem Oshodi, who acceded to the requests yesterday, maintained that the court has judicial discretion to rule on the application.”The prosecution failed to give evidence why the applicant’s sickness cannot be treated in Nigeria. Also how the prosecution came to the decision that the defendant would jump bail is best known to him. I believe that the first 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 first defendant to enable her travel abroad between June 7 and 13, 2017. The defendant must return the passport to the Chief Registrar on or before July 1, 2017,” he ruled.

The presiding judge also asked Obla to head for Houston, Texas in the U.S. for treatment.“The second defendant is also granted leave to travel for medical treatment and must also return his passport to the Chief Registrar on July 4, 2017, “ Justice Oshodi stated.

The defendants were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged giving and receiving bribes.Ajumogobia had through her counsel, Olawale Akoni (SAN), sought the permission of the court to travel to Morris Height Center, Bronx New York for medication.

In a 17-paragraph affidavit, she was said to be suffering from high blood pressure, hypertension, palpitation and stress-related issues.But EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, had countered the application, saying Ofili-Ajumogobia might jump bail and stall trial if her request sails through.

She was accused by the anti-graft agency of receiving $793,800 from different sources between 2012 and 2015.Consequently, Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter till July 7, 2017 for continuation of trial.