The Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has granted a request by former managing director of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Ahmed Kuru, to travel abroad for urgent medical attention.
In a ruling on Wednesday, Justice Mojisola Dada ordered the release of Mr Kuru’s international passport to allow him to travel to London, United Kingdom, for treatment.
Although the specific nature of the illness was not disclosed, Kuru’s counsel, Oyinkan Okusanya, informed the court that the application was filed based on facts that necessitated “extreme urgency.”
Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Wahab Shittu, did not oppose the application but expressed concern over an intelligence report suggesting an alleged plan by Kuru and two other co-defendants to dispose of some of the aircraft belonging to Arik Air, which is central to the criminal case before the court.
He said, “The EFCC has an intelligence report of attempts by the 1st and 3rd defendants to dispose of some of the aircraft associated with Arik Air. We wonder if the travel application is not an alibi to travel and sell some of the aircraft, which are said to be in France.”
Counsel Shittu, however, urged the court to consider the application on its merits and to maintain the status quo ante bellum.
Counsel Okusanya responded that the EFCC’s claim did not relate to her client and did not affect his application. She pointed out that Kuru sought permission to travel to the UK, not France.
Also speaking, Olalekan Ojo, counsel to Union Bank, dismissed the EFCC’s submission as “mere speculation,” stating that no evidence had been presented to support the intelligence claim.
He described Union Bank as a corporate entity not involved in any unethical conduct.
Justice Dada, after hearing from all parties, acknowledged the EFCC’s concern but ruled that no restraining orders would be granted, as the court was not provided with documents or evidence to justify such a request.
Kuru is the second defendant in an ongoing criminal case filed by the EFCC in January, alongside, former receiver manager of Arik Air Ltd Kamilu Omokide, CEO of Arik Air Roy Ilegbodu, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc and Super Bravo Limited.
They were arraigned on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, theft, abuse of office and making false statements to a public officer.
The EFCC alleges that the defendants conspired to defraud Arik Air of N76 billion and $31.5 million.
Union Bank was specifically charged with making false statements to AMCON in 2011 to induce the sale of Arik Air’s loans and guarantees, leading to the transfer of N71 billion to AMCON.
The anti-graft agency also accused Kuru, Omokide and Ilegbodu of fraudulently converting N4.9 billion to the use of NG Eagle Ltd in 2022 and Ilegbodu of diverting N22.5 million to Magashi Ali Mohammed, a property of Arik Air Ltd.
They are further accused of authorising the teardown of an aircraft with serial number 5N-JEA/15058, allegedly worth $31.5 million, in an act deemed prejudicial to the Nigerian economy and Arik Air.
All five defendants have pleaded not guilty.
The court had previously granted them bail in the sum of N20 million each, with one surety each and had ordered them to deposit their passports with the court.
The offences allegedly violate Sections 73, 96, 278(1) and 278(6) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
