The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday approved the application filed by Mr. Ali Bello, the Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, allowing him to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment.
Presiding over the case, Justice Obiora Egwuatu gave the go-ahead after the motion was presented by Bello’s lawyer, Zakari Abbas. The request was not opposed by Abbas Muhammed, counsel representing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The judge also granted a separate request from Bello’s co-defendant, Yakubu Adabenege, to travel to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage.
During the court session, EFCC’s lawyer Muhammed explained that the day’s hearing was initially set for further cross-examination of the seventh prosecution witness, Offure Achille, who works with Access Bank in Lokoja.
However, Muhammed told the court that Bello’s lead counsel, Abubakar Aliyu (SAN), could not attend as he was handling another case at the Supreme Court. He then asked for the trial to be rescheduled because their witness wouldn’t be able to return later that day.
Following this, Abbas, appearing on behalf of Aliyu, told the court about a pending application submitted on May 12, requesting permission for Bello to travel to London for medical attention.
Likewise, Nureini Jimoh (SAN), representing the second, third, and fourth defendants, reminded the judge of another application filed on May 23. That motion asked the court to allow Adabenege to attend the Hajj pilgrimage, scheduled from July 28 to August 27, 2025.
Both motions were not contested by the EFCC. In his ruling, Justice Egwuatu allowed the applications and laid out specific conditions. He ordered Bello to return his international passport to the court registry by September 12 after his medical trip. For Adabenege, the court directed him to submit his travel documents by August 30.
The judge then adjourned the trial until October 13 and 14 for the continuation of proceedings.
According to the motion filed by Bello, he sought approval to visit the London Centre for Advanced Cardiology between July 30 and September 10 for ongoing medical examinations and consultations. He also requested the temporary release of his international passport, which was being held by the court’s deputy chief registrar.
In an affidavit submitted to the court, Bello explained that he had been granted similar permission before and always returned as scheduled. “That on the four occasions stated above, I travelled and returned, while also returning my international passport to the deputy chief registrar of this honourable court as ordered by the court,” he said.
Meanwhile, during a recent hearing, EFCC’s witness Offure Achille said under cross-examination that Bello’s name did not appear in any of the financial records related to the alleged transactions. Achille also admitted that although certain funds were transferred to three companies — Fazab Business Enterprise and Hyzman ARY Construction Limited — there had been no formal complaints from the local government areas involved.
The witness, who insisted he had no personal stake in the matter, stated that he was only giving evidence as part of his job.
Ali Bello is currently facing trial alongside four others — Abba Adaudu, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, Iyada Sadat, and Rashida Bello — on 18 counts of alleged money laundering involving the suspected misappropriation of about N3 billion from Kogi State government and local council funds.
