N47.1bn Theft: Akingbola To Travel Abroad For Medical Treatment

A former Managing Director, Intercontinental Bank Plc, Erastus Akingbola, on Monday asked an Ikeja High Court for permission to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment. Akingbola made the request in an application filed by his counsel, Mr Mike Igbokwe (SAN), before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the former bank chief is being prosecuted for allegedly stealing N47.1 billion belonging to Intercontinental Bank (now Access Bank Plc).

He was charged to court alongside Bayo Dada, General Manager of Tropics Finance Ltd., by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In the application dated March 19, Akingbola asked leave of the court to keep a medical appointment scheduled for April 15 at Harley Street Hospital in London.

Igbokwe said the purpose of the trip was in continuation of Akingbola's treatment for an undisclosed ailment and that it would not in anyway jeopardise the trial.

"The application is to enable the first defendant (Akingbola) quickly go for the treatment and come back for his trial.

"Medical appointments are fixed by doctors and this application is not meant to induce the court to exercise its discretion in the first defendant's favour," he said.

Meanwhile, Akingbola and Dada also filed two separate applications asking the court for a variation of their bail terms.

The defendants in the applications dated March 23, asked the court to remove their mandatory report to the EFCC's office every Monday, from their bail terms.

EFCC counsel, Mr Godwin Obla (SAN), however, objected to the applications, adding that he needed more time to file a further affidavit to some of the issues raised by the defendants.

After hearing Obla's submission, the judge said only a short adjournment was necessary, under the circumstances, since a date has already been fixed for Akingbola's medical appointment.

Onigbanjo said:" I am, therefore, adjourning this matter to April 10 for hearing of arguments which will give me 48 hours to take a decision on the application."



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