A Federal High Court in Lagos, on Monday fixed June 28, to hear an application for release of passport, of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dele Belgore, standing trial over N450million money laundering.
Belgore was arraigned along with a former Minister of National Planning, Prof Abubakar Suleiman, before Justice Mohammed Aikawa , on a five-count charge bordering on the offence.
A former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, was also named in the charge, but said to be “at large”.
EFCC accused them of conspiring to directly take possession of the N450million, which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act.
They however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Monday, Defence Counsel, Ebun Shofunde (SAN), urged the court to order the release of the defendant’s passport to enable him to attend the graduation ceremony of his daughter in London, which is fixed for July 4.
He said that the defendant also wished to use the opportunity to visit his doctor in the UK for medical check-up, in the last week of August.
Meanwhile, the prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, said he would be opposing Belgore’s application for the release of his passport, and will file a counter affidavit.
According to Oyedepo, since the defendant had an earlier application urging the court to quash the charges against him due to alleged irregularity, he had no right to seek favour from the court until his application is decided.
Justice Mohammed Aikawa has adjourned until June 28, to hear the pending applications.
In the charge, EFCC said that the defendants committed the alleged offence on March 27, 2015.
The offence contravenes the provisions of Section 1 (a), 16 (2) (b) and 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.