Halima Buba, managing director of SunTrust Bank Ltd, has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to allow her travel to the United States for medical treatment linked to pregnancy complications.
Buba is standing trial before Justice Emeka Nwite on a six-count money-laundering charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged $12 million fraud. She is being tried alongside the bank’s executive director and chief compliance officer, Innocent Mbagwu. The duo allegedly swapped the sum in 10 days for businesswoman Aisha Achimugu without routing the funds through a financial institution.
They were arraigned on July 13, 2025 and granted bail of N100 million each with one surety in like sum. The court ordered them to deposit their passports.
In a motion dated February 2 and filed February 3 through her lawyer Johnson Usman, Buba sought a variation of her bail conditions and the temporary release of her passport. She said she planned to travel on February 15 and return before the end of February.
In her affidavit, she stated: “That I am pregnant and the pregnancy has some complications that require an expert in the field.
“That I registered my ante-natal medicals with Deda Hospital, Jahi, Abuja.
“That upon being examined by the Chief Medical Officer of Deda, there is a discovery of some complications and I was referred my medical situation to Bridge Clinics, Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist at Indiana University Health, Carmel, Indiana, United States of America,” she said.
She told the court she had complied with her bail terms and would return for trial.
The EFCC opposed the request. Its lawyer Ogechi Ujam filed a counter affidavit urging the court to refuse the application. She argued that the proposed travel date had passed, that there was no evidence that local doctors could not manage the condition and that no firm medical appointment abroad had been shown.
Ujam also noted that three prosecution witnesses had testified and warned that the charges are serious, raising concerns that the defendant could evade trial.
Justice Nwite adjourned the matter until March 4 for ruling.
