A Federal High Court in Abuja has denied former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, permission to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment, slamming the credibility of the evidence he presented.
In a ruling delivered on Monday, Justice Emeka Nwite dismissed the application after finding that the medical report tendered by Bello—marked as Exhibit B—was not signed by its author.
“An unsigned document is worthless and carries no probative value,” the judge declared, adding that the ex-governor failed to provide enough convincing material for the release of his international passport.
Bello, who is facing trial over an alleged ₦80.2 billion money laundering case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had asked the court to release his passport to allow him travel for urgent medical care.
But Justice Nwite refused, ruling that the unsigned medical note was legally defective and could not justify such a request.
The court, however, rejected the EFCC’s objection that the application amounted to an abuse of court process, stating that both the Federal High Court and the FCT High Court—which earlier granted Bello bail—have equal jurisdiction.
The case was adjourned to October 7 for continuation of trial.
