The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned a ruling on the former national security adviser Sambo Dasuki’s application for treatment abroad.
At the session today, November 2, the judge in the case Ademola Adeniyi said the court will make its decision known tomorrow.
“This morning I was given a copy of a reply, I think we better take that,” Adeniyi said.
Joseph Daudu, counsel to Dasuki asked the court to permit the defendant to travel abroad for a medical check up.
He said the need to travel was as a result of Dasuki’s already deteriorating health. He said Dasuki already had an appointment with his doctors abroad and that there is also a written address in support of the motion.
Daudu also opposed the motion that the treatment for Dasuki’s ailment is available in Nigeria.
He said:“My lord that is not a ground to refuse the application. The essence of this is that the defendant will appear at any subsequent hearing. So far, the applicant has diligently appeared in all hearings.”
He said there is a speculative possibility that more charges may be arise and his travelling out of the country will interfere with the charges.
But referring to the former Edo state governor James Ibori and other cases, Daudu said that such objection to the application should not hinder the freedom of movement of an innocent man who has been on bail.
“If the applicant was still in prison that would be different but having granted him bail and still denying him freedom is as good as having an innocent man in jail,” he said.
However, the prosecuting counsel said his team have been served a counter affidavit this morning.
He said the basis for the objection to the application is that the ailment disclosed by the applicant is such that can be treated in the National Hospital.
Referring the court to an exhibit X1 attached to a counter affidavit, he said the second reason is that Dasuki is also being investigated over other allegations of money laundering by security partners.
“On this point your lordship I refer this court to paragraph 4 of the counter affidavit,”he said.
He argued that a condition of the defendant being granted bail was to deposit his travel documents with the court, and that the three weeks for which Dasuki is asking for travel for medical treatment will only delay the trial.
He also said the referenced Ibori case was different from the present case.
“In that case, James Ibori was asked to produce sureties, but in this case the applicant was only asked to deposit his international passport,” he said.
The prosecuting counsel further asked the court to refuse the travel application as the case was exceptional.
Responding to the grounds, Daudu said those grounds were punitive and suggestive of imprisonment.
However, the judge Ademola Adeniyi fixed ruling for November 3.
Naij.com
No comments:
Post a Comment