Senator Rochas Okorocha
Ex-Imo Gov, Okorocha prays for leave of court to travel for medical checkup
A former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, who is facing money laundering charge, on Thursday, approached the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja for permission to travel outside the country for medical treatment.
The senator made this appeal on Thursday through his lawyer before Justice Inyang Ekwo.
The Senator in his motion informed the court that before his arraignment, he had undergone medical surgery at the Ambulatory Surgery Centre U. S and is scheduled for a further checkup on July 19.
The counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was not present for today’s proceeding.
Okorocha’s lawyer, Daniel Alumun told the court that he has an application seeking leave of court for his client to travel abroad for a medical checkup. However, he was yet to serve the EFCC the said motion.
In the motion marked: FHC /ABJ/CS/28/2022 dated June 22 and filed on June 27, Senator Okorocha sought for an order granting him leave to travel outside Nigeria for medical treatment; and return before Nov. 7, which is the next adjourned date for his trial.
He also sought the court to release his international travel passport booklet, which was deposited with the court registrar in partial fulfilment of his bail conditions.
He sought “a consequential order that reliefs(1} and (2) above be communicated by the registrar of this honourable court to the Nigerian Immigration Service, to facilitate the passage of the applicant.
“An order directing the 1stdefendant/applicant to return his international passport to the registrar of the honourable court upon his return to Nigeria.”
According to him, he was admitted to bail pending trial in charge number: FHC/ABJ/28/2022 of which he duly complied with all the terms of the bail including depositing his travel documents with the registrar of the court.
He told the court that before he was arraigned he had undergone medical surgery at the Ambulatory Surgery Centre, Texas, the U.S. for a distal femur fracture, which he sustained in an accident.
He said since the accident, he has been on regular/scheduled care and treatment at the same Center and was scheduled for further medical tests, observation and treatment on July 19, 2022.
Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until July 6 for a hearing of the motion.
Mr Okorocha was arraigned by EFCC a 17-count charge bordering on conspiracy to steal N2.9 billion in public funds during his tenure as Imo State Governor.
The court granted Mr Okorocha bail in the sum of N500 million or a Surety in the like sum.
