Court Allows Babalakin’s Co-Defendant Travel Abroad

The Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has given permission for Mr. Alex Okoh, who faces money laundering charges with the Chairman of Bi-Courtney Highway Services, Dr. Wale Babalakin, to travel to the United Kingdom for medical reasons.

   After their arraignment on the 17^th of January, the court had ordered both Okoh and Babalakin to deposit their travelling documents with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC.

However, the presiding judge, Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, last week ordered the EFCC to release Mr. Babalakin’s passports to enable him travel to South Africa for medical reasons.

In granting the application of Mr. Babalakin’s co-defendant seeking permission to travel abroad, Justice Onigbanjo asked the defence counsel, Mr. Olaniran Obele, to file evidence of Mr. Okoh’s prior medical appointment with the UK hospital where he intends to travel to on Wednesday.

The defence lawyer is also expected to file a further affidavit accompanying an e-mail he claimed was being expected from the UK hospital.

The lawyer had said his client had been to the UK hospital for his routine check-up between December 30, 2012 and January 7.

EFCC’s counsel, Mrs Taiwo Ogunleye, did not oppose Mr. Okoh’s application.

She merely urged the court to adjourn the matter to enable the defendant file the necessary documents.

Mrs. Ogunleye also told the court it was the United Kingdom that reported the case, which informed the charges, to the EFCC and as such Mr Okoh could be arrested in the UK a situation which could rob the court of its jurisdiction to further hear the charges.

Justice Onigbanjo then ordered the EFCC to release the travelling documents of the second defendant (Okoh) to him to enable him to travel to the United Kingdom between March 6 and 19, 2013 for the review of his medical condition.

Via: ChannelsTV