Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, who is standing trial over terrorism related charge, has been granted permission to travel abroad by a Federal High Court in Abuja, for the lesser hajj.
Presiding judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, while ruling on Ndume’s application for leave to embark on the trip on Tuesday, ordered the Deputy Chief Registrar, Litigation, of the Federal High Court to release to him his passport and other travel documents.
Ndume has been standing trial over alleged terrorism activities, including sponsoring the terrorist group, Boko Haram.
His international passport and other travel documents were deposited with the court registry to fulfill part of the bail conditions given to him by the judge after he was arraigned on December 3, 2013.
The judge, while granting Ndume’s prayer on Tuesday, ordered the senator to return the travel documents to the DCR (Litigation) within 72 hours of his return into the country.
The prosecuting counsel, Muslim Hassan, did not oppose the application moved by Ndume’s lawyer, Miss R. Okotie-Eboh, during the Tuesday’s proceedings.
“Since it will not affect the date that has already been fixed for continuation of trial, we feel it is unnecessary to oppose the application,” Hassan had told Justice Kolawole on Tuesday.
According to Justice Kolawole, his decision was based on the fact that the prosecution did not oppose the application filed on June 23, 2015 and that Ndume had been granted such applications in the past.
The trial is billed to continue on July 2 when the prosecution is expected to call its fourth witness.
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