A former Jigawa State Governor, Saminu Turaki, who is facing corruption charges, was on Tuesday granted permission to travel abroad for medical treatment.
Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of a Federal High Court, Abuja, granted the permission following an application filed by defendant’s counsel, Olusegun Jolawo, asking for the release of Mr. Turaki’s travel documents.
In a short ruling, Mr. Dimgba ordered that the defendant’s international passport be released, to enable him travel for medical treatment.
The judge further ordered that the former governor must produce a serving senator who will guarantee that he will return to Nigeria before the end of court’s vacation to face his trial.
He adjourned the matter until September 19 for hearing in line with first adjournment by a Dutse Federal High Court.
Justice Sabi’u Yahuza of the Dutse Federal High Court had earlier adjourned the case until Sept. 19.
Mr. Turaki had been on the run for three years since 2014 before he was eventually arrested this year.
The defence counsel had earlier filed an application asking the court to release his client’s international passport to enable him travel for a medical appointment in Singapore.
Responding to the application, prosecution counsel, Mohammed Abubakar, did not raise any objection to the application but asked the trial Judge to use his discretion on whether to grant the request or not.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Justice Dimgba had on July 18, upon the former governor’s re-arraignment, agreed with most of the bail conditions earlier set by Justice Yusuf Haliru of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Mr. Turaki was re-arraigned alongside three companies, INC Natural Resources Ltd., Apel Construction Ltd., and WideHeart Construction Ltd., on a 32-count charge bordering on money laundering.
(NAN)
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