A former governorship aspirant in Kwara State, Mr. Dele Belgore (SAN), who is being tried for an alleged fraud of N450m, has urged the court to permit him to attend the graduation of his daughter in the United Kingdom.
In an application by his lawyer, Mr. Ebun Shofunde (SAN) on Monday, Belgore urged the court to order the release of his passport to enable him to attend the graduation ceremony fixed for July 4, 2018.
His daughter, he said, will be graduating as a medical doctor from the University of London.
The SAN said he also wished to use the opportunity to visit his doctor in the UK for medical check-up in the last week of August “once the doctors resume from their annual vacation.”
The prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, however, said he would be opposing Belgore’s application for the release of his passport.
Oyedepo contended that since Belgore had an earlier application urging the court to quash the charges against him because of an alleged irregularity, he had no right to seek favour from the court until his application is decided.
“Can a party challenging the validity of proceedings be asking for favour from the same court?” the prosecutor queried.
Justice Rilwan Aikawa adjourned till Thursday, June 28, 2018 to take Belgore’s two applications – one praying for the charges to be quashed, the other seeking permission to attend his daughter’s graduation in the UK.
Source: AFP
