Justice M.S Hassan of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, on Wednesday, fixed March 1, 2017 to hear an application by Senator Nenadi Usman to release her international passport.
Mrs Usman is also challenging the jurisdiction of the court and asking for temporary release of her International passport to enable her travel outside the country on health grounds.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had arraigned Usman along with Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister for Aviation and Yusuf Danjuma, a former National Chairman of the
Association of Local Governement of Nigeria, ALGON and Ex-Chairman of
Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State on a 17-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful retention of proceeds of crime and money laundering to the
tune of N4.6 billon.
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Counsels representing the defendants, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko, SAN, for first defendant, Mr. Norrisson Quakers, SAN, for second defendant, and Mr. S.I. Ameh, SAN, for third defendant had all prayed the court to grant the application seeking the temporary release of the International passport of Senator Usman to enable her travel.
Prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo opposed counsels’ prayers on the grounds that the court must consider, hear and rule on the application challenging the court’s jurisdiction before hearing another pending application.
Justice M.S Hassan ruled that he would consider the application challenging the court’s jurisdiction before presiding over the second application filed by the first defendant.
The matter was adjourned to March 1, 2017 for hearing of all pending applications before the commencement of trial.
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