Despite alleged N3bn loot, court grants ex NNPC GMD leave to go abroad for medical treatment

macfranc007 March 01, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Buchi Obichie

- Former NNPC GMD Andrew Yakubu has been granted medical leave abroad by the Federal High Court’s Abuja Division

- His counsel had begged that Yakubu be permitted to travel outside the country to undertake a routine medical check-up

- The former NNPC chief is accused by the EFCC of looting the sum of N3 billion which was discovered stashed in foreign currencies in his Kaduna guesthouse

Andrew Yakubu, the former group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has been granted leave to travel abroad for medical treatment by the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, Vanguard reports.

Yakubu is facing a six-count charge leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), after the sum of N3 billion was found stashed at his Kaduna guest house.

He was undergoing medical treatment in the United Kingdom when the EFCC, acting on a tip-off, raided the guest house and recovered the alleged loot which was in foreign currencies.

NAIJ.com gathers that the leave was granted by the presiding judge, Ahmed Mohammed, following the filing of an application by the defendant’s lawyer, Ahmed Raji (SAN).

In the application dated February 26, Raji had begged that his client be permitted to travel outside the country to undertake a routine medical check-up. The court was also informed by the EFCC’s counsel, Ben Ikani, that the anti-graft agency was not opposed to the application.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigeria’s #1 news app

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that Yakubu said the money recovered from his Kaduna home by the EFCC was part of gifts he received during ceremonies.

However, the former NNPC boss did not mention the ceremonies at which he got the money or those who gave him the gift; but denied that the funds were proceeds of crime.

He was said to have made the claim in a court document filed on his behalf before the Federal High Court in Abuja by Dolapo Kehinde, one of his lawyers.

Former NNPC group managing director Andrew Yakubu in court over fraud allegations - on NAIJ.com TV: