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By Correspondent in Abuja.
(C) Google.
Halima Buba, Managing Director of SunTrust Bank Ltd, on Thursday sought the permission of the Federal High Court in Abuja to travel to the United States for medical treatment over alleged pregnancy complications.
Buba, who is standing trial on a six-count charge bordering on money laundering, made the request before Justice Emeka Nwite through her counsel, Johnson Usman, SAN.
Our correspondent reports that Buba and the bank’s Executive Director/Chief Compliance Officer, Innocent Mbagwu, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged $12 million fraud.
The defendants were arraigned on July 13, 2025, and admitted to bail in the sum of N100 million each, with one surety apiece in like sum and the court ordered them to deposit their international passports with the court registry.
At Thursday’s proceedings, Buba, who was present in court, moved a motion on notice dated Feb. 2 and filed Feb. 3, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/180/2025, seeking three reliefs.
She prayed the court to vary the bail conditions granted on July 13, 2025, release her international passport to enable her travel abroad for medical treatment and follow-up care, and direct the Chief/Deputy Chief Registrar to temporarily release her travel documents for that purpose.
In seven grounds supporting the application, Buba stated that she had complied fully with her bail conditions and had consistently attended court sittings.
She told the court that she required urgent medical attention abroad and undertook to return to Nigeria and deposit her passport before the next adjourned date.
In an affidavit deposed to in support of the motion, Buba said she intended to travel on Feb. 15 and return before the end of February.
“I am pregnant and the pregnancy has some complications that require an expert in the field,” she stated.
She added that she registered for antenatal care at Deda Hospital, Jahi, Abuja, and was subsequently referred by the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer to Bridge Clinics, Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist at Indiana University Health, Carmel, Indiana, United States.
According to her, she had been scheduled for urgent medical treatment in the U.S. and remained willing to attend court on any date fixed for continuation of trial.
She undertook not to jump bail if granted leave to travel and urged the court to grant her application in the interest of justice.
However, the counsel to the EFCC, Ogechi Ujam, opposed the application, informing the court that a counter-affidavit was filed on Feb. 3 urging the court to refuse the request.
Ujam described Buba’s depositions as false, speculative and misleading, arguing that the proposed travel date had already been overtaken by events.
She further submitted that the medical report attached by Buba did not indicate that the consultant was incapable of treating her in Nigeria.
According to the EFCC’s counsel, Buba did not subject herself fully to treatment at the hospital referenced in her application adding that there was no evidence that Nigerian medical facilities were unable to manage her condition.
Ujam also contended that no medical appointment had been scheduled for the defendant at the proposed U.S. hospital for any specific procedure.
She informed the court that she had been briefed by one Ahmad Yahaya, a medical doctor with the EFCC, and verily believed that Buba could receive effective treatment within Nigeria.
The prosecution reminded the court that trial had progressed substantially, with three witnesses already testifying and allegedly giving incriminating evidence against the defendant.
Given the seriousness of the charges and the stage of proceedings, Ujam argued that there was a real risk of flight, adding that it had become common in high-profile criminal cases for defendants to cite medical reasons to travel abroad.
She urged the court to dismiss the application for lack of sufficient material showing that the medical condition could not be treated locally.
After hearing both parties, Justice Nwite adjourned the matter until March 4 for ruling.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
