Don’t allow Nnamani to travel out, EFCC tells court

Posted by admin EFCC Politics, Enugu, State News Tuesday, April 16th, 2013

By AKEEB ALARAPE

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday opposed an application filed by the former governor of Enugu State, Chimaroke Nnamani, seeking the court’s leave to travel to United States for urgent medical treatment.

Nnamani, who was Enugu State governor between 1999 and 2007, is being prosecuted in a Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, alongside one Sunday Anyaogu and six others for allegedly defrauding his state to the tune of N4.5 billion.

Others who were arraigned with Nnamani by the EFCC included; Rainbownet Nig Ltd, Hillgate Nig Ltd, Cosmos FM, Capital City Automobile Nig Ltd, Renaissance University Teaching Hospital and Mea Mater Elizabeth High School. Nnamani’s application was filed through his lawyer, Ricky Tarfa (SAN), stating the urgent need for him to be allowed to travel on health ground.

According to the application, which was supported by an affidavit deposed to by one Ayo Ambali, it stated that sometime in 2008 Nnamani was diagnosed of having ‘hypercholesterolemia and a high level Serum Prostrate Surface Antigem (SPA) for which he went to the United States severally for medical treatment.

Ambali stated in the affidavit that after carrying out series of examinations and tests on Nnamani, his personal physician advised that he should come to the United States for compulsory intermittent medical checkups and treatments.

But opposing the affidavit, yesterday EFCC dismissed the application as an attempt to further delay the case, saying that the ailment for which Nnamani sought to travel abroad could be treated in Nigeria.

According to the counter-affidavit deposed to by Ahamefula Ken Mbaeri, the anti-graft agency said Nnamani was also standing trial before an Enugu State High Court, and that granting the application would jeopardize the case, which would come up on April 29. The anti-graft agency, therefore, urged the court to dismiss Nnamani’s application.

When the case came up yesterday, Tarfa moved the application on behalf of the former governor while counsel to the EFCC, Kelvin Uzozie would adopt his counter-affidavit today (Tuesday). Nnamani, who was first arraigned before Justice Tijani Abubakar, was re-arraigned before Justice Mohammed Yinusa on a 105-count charge of money laundering and economic crimes.

-Sunwp_posts