Ladipo Sanusi/
A Federal High Court, in Lagos, today granted leave to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Dele Belgore, who is standing trial before it to attend a conference abroad.
Belgore is being tried alongside former Minister of National Planning, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, on a 5-count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N450 million by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Rilwan Aikawa gave the order while ruling on an application filed before the Court by Belgore. The EFCC did not file any counter application.
The judge ordered the Court’s Deputy Chief Registrar to release Belgore’s international passport to enable him attend the conference in Kenya.
The Judge, however, ordered that Belgore must return the passport to the Court by April 4 or risk being sanctioned in accordance with the law.
The judge had ordered the accused persons to deposit their international passports with the Court as part of their bail conditions.
Giving reasons for his ruling, Justice Aikawa said: “The applicant had filed the application for release of his international passport to enable him attend an international conference in Kenya and same was served on the prosecution. But the prosecution did not file any counter to oppose the application.
“Since the prosecution has failed to file a counter, it is my believe that the application is properly deemed filed.”
The EFCC had alleged that Belgore and Abubakar, on or about March 27, 2015, conspired and directly took possession of N450 million, which they reasonably knew to be proceed of crime.
They also allegedly, on March 27, 2015, transferred N50 million to one Sheriff Shagaya without going through financial institutions.
The alleged offences, according to the prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, are contrary to Sections 18(a), 15(2)(d),1(a), Section 16(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012, and punishable under Section 15(3), 4 and 16(2)(b)of the same Act.
The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
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