Former Imo State governor and Senator representing Imo West senatorial district in the National Assembly, Rochas Okorocha, has asked the Federal High Court, Abuja, for an order to travel to the United States (U.S.) for medical treatment.
The senator made this appeal on Thursday, through his lawyer before Justice Inyang Ekwo.
The Senator in his motion informed the court that before his arraignment, he had undergone medical surgery at the Ambulatory Surgery Centre U.S and is scheduled for a further checkup on July 19.
Alumun, however, informed the court that he was unable to serve the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), with the motion.
The EFCC counsel was not in court.
Justice Ekwo consequently adjourned the matter until July 6, for hearing of the motion.
In a motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/28/2022, dated June 22 and filed on June 27, Senator Okorocha sought for an order granting him leave to travel outside Nigeria for medical treatment; and return before Nov. 7, which is the next adjourned date for his trial.
He also asked the court to release his international travel passport booklet, which was deposited with the court registrar in partial fulfilment of his bail conditions.
“Consequential order that reliefs(1} and (2) above be communicated by the registrar of this honourable court to the Nigerian Immigration Service, to facilitate the passage of the applicant.
“An order directing the 1st defendant/applicant to return his international passport to the registrar of the honourable court upon his return to Nigeria”, the motion read in part
According to him, he was admitted to bail pending trial in charge number: FHC/ABJ/28/2022, of which he duly complied with all the terms of the bail including depositing his travel documents with the registrar of the court.
He told the court that before he was arraigned he had undergone medical surgery at the Ambulatory Surgery Centre, Texas, the U.S. for a distal femur fracture, which he sustained in an accident.
Okorocha further claimed that since the accident, he has been on regular/scheduled care and treatment at the same Centre and was scheduled for further medical tests, observation and treatment on July 19, 2022.
Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until July 6 for a hearing of the motion.
Okorocha was arraigned by EFCC on a 17-count charge bordering on conspiracy to steal N2.9 billion in public funds during his tenure as Imo State Governor.
Others arraigned were Anyim Chinenye, Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited and Legend World Concepts Limited as 2nd to 7th defendants respectively.
