Mohammed Bello Adoke, a former minister of justice and attorney general of the Federation (AGF), was given permission by a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday to go to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s with his family.
Adoke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, was able to obtain the authorization through persuasive arguments and legal representation from Kanu Agabi SAN.
In a motion, Agabi—a former minister of justice and attorney general of the federation—begged the court to approve his client’s request by using sections 36 and 37 of the Nigerian Constitution.
See Also: House Committee orders CBN Governor, AGF, and 17 others to be arrested
He stated that he has not been allowed to see his family members who live in the United Arab Emirates since Adoke’s trial on money laundering accusations brought against him by the federal government began.
In order to preserve his physical and mental well-being, the senior attorney fervently argued that the former minister of justice needed to spend time with his family.
Agabi argued that even though Adoke is being tried for a crime, the law assumed he was innocent unless evidence to the contrary was presented.
Additionally, he argued that ever since his client was granted bail, he had faithfully and regularly attended the trial and had never shown any indication that he intended to breach the terms of his release.
Judge Inyang Eden Ekwo noted in his decision that he was convinced to approve the request and concurred that Adoke had been present for the trial and had never tried to evade bail.
The Judge then gave the order to release Adoke’s passport, which had been lodged with the court registry, so he could go to the United Arab Emirates.
The former AGF’s trial on the accusations against him will resume in Nigeria on January 11, 2024, per Justice Ekwo’s decision.
The former AGF is being prosecuted on 14 counts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in conjunction with oil billionaire Aliyu Abubakar.
According to the charges, the EFCC claimed that Adoke had committed an offence under Section 16 (2)(b) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 (as amended) when he took a cash payment from Aliyu sometime in August 2013 in Abuja. The payment was for the equivalent of N300 million in dollars.
While Abubakar was also charged with taking a $4 million cash payment from Faman Holdings Limited in September 2013 through a person named Abdulhakeem Uthman Mustapha, the EFCC said that Adoke made structured cash payments into his Unity Bank Account in installments.
