Ruling on the application brought by Yakubu’s counsel, Ahmed Raji, SAN, Justice Mohammed said, “since the prosecuting counsel is not opposing the defendant’s motion dated 23rd May, 2017 seeking leave to be granted to the defendant to travel to the United Kingdom to continue treatment, the application is granted.”
The judge also agreed with the prosecuting counsel, Prince Ben Ikani, that the passport of the defendant be released to his counsel in the interim adding that, “the leave is granted is for a period of three weeks commencing from May 25, 2017”.
Other conditions attached to the release of the passport are: “The defendant shall return to the country on or before the expiration of the three weeks granted; One of the sureties of the defendant shall file a separate affidavit to be liable in this case should the defendant refuse to return and take his trial; The same affidavit shall be filed before the international passport is released to the defendant’s solicitor; Upon his return from his medical trip, the learned counsel to the defendant shall immediately return the international passport to the chief registrar of the court”.
The case has been adjourned to July 6, 2017 for continuation of trial. Yakubu’s troubles started on February 3, 2017, when operatives of the EFCC stormed a building belonging to the former NNPC boss and recovered a staggering sum of $9,772,000 (Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Seventy Two Thousand United States Dollars) and £74,000 (Seventy Four Thousand Pound Sterling) stashed in a huge fire proof safe.
Following the raid, Yakubu on February 8, 2017 reported to the Commission’s Kano Zonal Office where he admitted being the owner of both the house and the money recovered. The offence breaches Section 7(4)(b)(ii) of the Advance Fee Fraud & Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 7 (5) of the same Act.
He is currently facing a six-count charge of money laundering, non-disclosure of assets and fraud.
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