An Abuja High Court on Thursday granted Mike Ozekhome permission to travel to the United Kingdom for six weeks of medical care, agreeing to release his international passport temporarily. Justice Chizoba Oji made the ruling and ordered him to submit the document back to court by August 26.
Ozekhome and co-defendant Ponfa Useni face a 12-count trial on charges of forgery and impersonation brought by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation. The case centres on a property ownership dispute in the UK.
The court had raised concerns on Tuesday that prosecutors failed to hand over the defendants' passports, even though the documents were supposed to be held as part of bail conditions set in February. Justice Oji ordered the prosecution to produce the passports at Thursday's hearing.
The prosecution complied and presented both documents in court. After Ozekhome verified his passport, the judge asked prosecutors for their position on the travel request.
C.L. Asonta, the prosecution's lawyer, told the court there was no objection to releasing the passport.
He only asked that Ozekhome return it within three working days of arriving back in Nigeria.
Justice Oji approved the temporary release, saying she'd reviewed the application and found no opposition. She set the six-week leave period from July 9 to August 20.
The case will resume on September 28. Useni is the son of late Lt.-Gen.
Jeremiah Useni, who served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under military ruler Sani Abacha.
Prosecutors say the men conspired in 2020 to obtain a fake Nigerian passport under the name "Tali Shani" with the number A07535463. They allege Ozekhome helped Useni assume that identity and that both used a forged power of attorney to claim the disputed UK property.
Both defendants have denied all charges against them.
