Posted by By Abimbola Akosile and Amina Amali on
An Ikeja High Court judge, Justice Olubunmi Oyewole yesterday insisted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials should obtain a medical report showing Chief Emmanuel Nwude's health status from the National Hospital Abuja, where he is currently undergoing treatment for an undisclosed ailment.
An Ikeja High Court judge, Justice Olubunmi Oyewole yesterday insisted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials should obtain a medical report showing Chief Emmanuel Nwude's health status from the National Hospital Abuja, where he is currently undergoing treatment for an undisclosed ailment.
However, the matter was adjourned till Wednesday, January 19 for continuation of trial based on the provision of the report from Abuja on the accused person, which could not be obtained from the medical doctor in charge due to an ongoing nation-wide strike by doctors.
Nwude is facing a four- month old trial in an Advance Fee Fraud a.k.a. 419 scam involving a sum of $242 million alongside Mrs. Amaka Anajemba, (2nd accused) and Mr. Nzeribe Edeh Okoli, in a de novo (fresh) trial, which began on October 5.
Justice Oyewole again made the call when trial could not continue because Nwude was not in court, due to his alleged ill-health and inability to return from Abuja to stand trial. The accused person's counsel, Chief Alex Izinyon, SAN, informed the court that he had an application to file and move but could not do so since his client's health status could not be determined as his medical report was unavailable.
Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, lead prosecution counsel for EFCC, explained that an attempt by the commission to obtain the medical report did not succeed because the doctor-in-charge was absent from the hospital. He claimed the prosecution also could not ascertain the current health status of the accused.
The presiding judge thereafter ordered that a medical report on Nwude be produced to ascertain his health status, which will bear on trial continuation, even as prosecution had expressed readiness to go on with the trial.