New Telegraph

Adoke contracts COVID-19, stranded in UAE

Former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), is stranded in the United Arab Emirate (UAE) where he tested positive for COVID-19.

 

His counsel and former Justice Minister, Kanu Agabi (SAN) disclosed this yesterday during the sitting of Federal High Court in Abuja. Agabi, who is lead counsel to Adoke in the alleged money laundering charges filed against him and a businessman, Aliyu Abubakar, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), conveyed Adoke’s plight to Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo. Adoke was granted permission to travel abroad for medical examination on December 11, 2020, following a plea to that effect.

 

The judge, who ordered the release of the ex-AGF’s international passport to him, gave him the permission to travel on December 15 and return on January 10, 2021, a day before the scheduled resumption of trial.

 

However, at the resumed trial, Adoke was not in court, prompting his counsel to apologise to the court for the absence. Agabi told the court that his client tested positive to the disease at the point of his return to Nigeria and was subsequently held back by the authorities.

 

He further told the court that Adoke later tested negative to coronavirus after his treatment, but was unable to get flight to the country as ordered by the court.

 

“My Lord, let me apologise to you that the 1st defendant in this matter, Mohammed Bello Adoke, is not in court today due to circumstances beyond his control. “I thank this court for granting him permission to travel abroad for medical examination.

 

“Before he left this country, he tested negative. But unfortunately, while in the UAE, he tested positive at his point of his return to Nigeria. “However, he is now negative after the treatment, but he was unable to get flight to the country. Happily, he will return tomorrow, January 12, 2021,” he said.

Agabi informed the court that an application dated January 4 and filed same day, seeking an extension of time to avail the 1st defendant of the opportunity to take care of himself had already been brought before the court.

 

He then prayed the court to extend the time within which Adoke would be allowed to appear in court for the continuation of his trail.

 

Agabi, however, assured that the former minister would make himself available for his trial at the next adjourned date. Counsel to the 2nd defendant (Aliyu Abubakar), Emmanuel. C. Ikechi, who held brief for Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), did not oppose the application.

 

Also, the prosecution counsel, Bala Sanga, did not oppose the adjournment plea on the ground that Adoke had been regular in court and in the interest of justice. Justice Ekwo subsequently adjourned the matter until March 1 for continuation of trial.

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