Babalakin: Court releases passport to enable him seek medical attention

Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, on Thursday, granted permission to the embattled chairman of Bi-Courtney Limited, Dr Wale Babalakin, to travel to South Africa to get medical attention.
The court gave an order for the release of his passport based on the application filed before the court by his counsel Justice Onigbanjo, in a ruling on the application filed by Babalakin’s counsel, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release his international passport.
Babalakin’s passport was kept in the custody of the EFCC based on the court’s order to ensure he appears in court to stand trial in a criminal charge of money laundering instituted by the anti-graft agency
He is being prosecuted for allegedly transferring N4.7 billion on behalf of the former Delta State governor, James Ibori, alongside Alex Okoh and their companies - Stabilini Visioni Limited, Bi-Courtney Limited and Renix Nigeria Limited.
Justice Onigbanjo after instructing EFCC to release the passport,  however, put a caveat that the passport should be returned to the EFCC custody before the next trial date fixed for March 27, 2013
Fagbemi, in the application requesting the release of the travel documents, had informed the court that his client was hypertensive and needed treatment at a South African hospital.
Reacting to the application, the EFCC, through its counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), did not present any opposition but rather urged the court to ensure that Babalakin would return to Nigeria before March 27 in order not to stall the trial.
Tribune