Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, has granted the applications of a former Managing Director of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, Ahmed Kuru, and two other defendants for the temporary release of their international passports to enable them to travel abroad for medical treatment.
Kuru is standing trial alongside Kamilu Omokide, Capt Roy Ilegbodu, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc and Super Bravo Limited on a six-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, bordering on conspiracy, stealing and abuse of office over an alleged fraud involving N76bn and $31.5m.
According to the EFCC, Union Bank allegedly made false representations to AMCON in 2011 concerning the status of Arik Air Limited’s performing loans, resulting in the transfer of an alleged inflated loan portfolio valued at N71bn to AMCON.
The anti-graft agency also alleged that Kuru, Omokide, who served as Receiver-Manager of Arik Air, and Ilegbodu, the airline’s Chief Executive Officer while it was under receivership, fraudulently diverted N4.9bn belonging to Arik Air to NG Eagle Limited in 2022.
When the matter came up for hearing on Tuesday, counsel for the first and third defendants, Prof Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), informed the court that applications had been filed seeking the temporary release of their international passports to facilitate overseas medical treatment.
