TheCable

The federal high court, Abuja, has granted Abba Moro, former interior minister, permission to travel abroad for medical checkup.

Moro was granted similar permission on July 14, 2016.

The former minister is standing trial over alleged N676 million Nigeria Immigration Service recruitment scam.

When the matter was called up for hearing, counsel to Moro, Akinlolu Kehinde, told the court that the application for leave to travel again was to follow up on the earlier treatment.

“There is an urgent need for him to go for a follow up checkup on his health as he was given an appointment for April 26,” he said

Kehinde said to achieve this, his client was praying the court for an order permitting him to travel to Dubai for three weeks and an order directing the release of his international passport.

The lawyer said he attached a 24- paragraph affidavit in support of his application.

He said the last time the court granted his client leave to travel, he promptly returned to face his trial on completion of his treatment.

Although the prosecuting counsel, Steven Odiase, did not oppose the application, he urged the court to attach conditions since Moro was granted bail on self-recognition.

The judge, Nnamdi Dimgba, granted Moro the permission to travel, but ordered him to provide a letter of undertaken from a surety with landed property in Abuja.

Alternatively, the court asked his counsel to guarantee him that he would come back to face his trial.

“I am disposed to granting the application in favour of the applicant because the reason is a follow up to the earlier treatment,” he said.

“However, considering the concerns raised by the complainant, I will impose some conditions,” Mr. Dimgba said.

He adjourned the case till May 18 and 19 for resumption of trial.

Moro alongside two others are on trial over alleged N676 million recruitment fraud.