Dr. Erastus Akingbola
Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of an Ikeja High Court Thursday refused the application of the former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank (now Access Bank), Dr. Erastus Akingbola, seeking to travel abroad for medical treatment.
The judge however granted the other applications by Akingbola and his co-defendant, Bayo Dada, seeking a variation of their bail conditions that mandated them to report at the EFCC office every first working day of the week.
The charges were preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Akingbola had in his application dated March 19, which was filed by his counsel, Mr. Mike Igbokwe (SAN) stated that he needed to keep a medical appointment fixed for April 15 at Harley Street Hospital in London, United Kingdom.
But Justice Onigbanjo while ruling on the application to travel Thursday, said Akingbola did not present sufficient materials to warrant the court exercise its discretion in his favour.
The judge said it was wrong for the applicant to assume that he has the legal right to be treated by any medical doctor of his choice.
He buttressed his decision with a Supreme Court case involving Abacha and the state and maintained that Akingbola being on bail has unfettered freedom of seeking medical attention in Nigeria which is even different in the Abacha case, where the applicant was not on bail.
In puncturing Akingbola’s counsel submission that the court should follow its earlier rulings, the judge said no two case no matter their similarity is the same because of the peculiarity of their circumstances.
But the judge said that particular condition had outlived its usefulness since the EFCC had concluded its investigation of their alleged crime.
He therefore ordered that they report at the office of the EFCC only on the first and third Fridays of every month not later than one hour before closing time in the office of the anti-graft commission.
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