An Abuja High Court on Thursday granted the first defendant, Mike Ozekhome, permission to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment for six weeks.
Ozekhome and his co-defendant, Ponfa Useni, were arraigned on February 27 by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) on a 12-count charge bordering on forgery and impersonation arising from a disputed property ownership case in the United Kingdom.
Ruling on Ozekhome’s application for the temporary release of his international passport, Justice Chizoba Oji ordered him to return the passport to the court on or before August 26.
The judge had earlier been informed on Tuesday that the prosecution had failed to deposit the defendants’ passports with the court, contrary to the bail conditions granted in February. Consequently, the court directed the prosecution to produce the passports during Thursday’s proceedings.
In compliance with the order, the prosecution presented the international passports of both defendants.
After Ozekhome confirmed ownership of the passport, Justice Oji asked the prosecution counsel, C.L. Asonta, whether there was any objection to its temporary release.
Although Asonta raised no objection, he requested that Ozekhome be directed to return the passport within three working days of his return to Nigeria.
Granting the application, the judge said: “Having considered the motion and noting that there is no objection, I hereby grant the request for the temporary release of the first defendant’s international passport to enable him to embark on his medical trip.”
Justice Oji ruled that the six-week period would run from July 9 to August 20 and ordered Ozekhome to return the passport to the court on or before August 26.
The court subsequently adjourned the trial until September 28 for continuation.
Ponfa Useni, the second defendant, is the son of the late Lt.-Gen. Jeremiah Useni, who served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during the military administration of the late Gen. Sani Abacha.
According to the prosecution, the defendants conspired in 2020 to procure a false Nigerian international passport, No. A07535463, in the name of Tali Shani.
The prosecution further alleged that Ozekhome assisted Useni in impersonating Tali Shani and that both defendants also created a forged irrevocable power of attorney to facilitate Ozekhome’s claim to the disputed property in the United Kingdom.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.