By TAIYE AGBAJE

Halima Buba, the Managing Director (MD), SunTrust Bank Ltd, on Thursday, sought an order permitting her to travel to the United States (US) for medical treatment in relation to pregnancy complications.

Buba, who is currently facing a six -count money laundering charge, told Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja through her counsel, Johnson Usman, SAN.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bank MD, alongside her Executive Director/Chief Compliance Officer, Innocent Mbagwu, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged 12 million dollar fraud.

They were arraigned on July 13, 2025 and admitted to N100 million bail each with one surety each in the like sum.

Justice Nwite also ordered that their international passports be deposited with the court registry.

However, Buba, who was also in court on Thursday, in the motion on notice, dated Feb. 2 but filed on Feb. 3 by Usman marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/180/2025, sought three orders.

She prayed the court for an order varying the conditions of bail granted to her on June 13, 2025.

She also sought an order releasing her international passport to enable her travel out of Nigeria for her medical treatment and for such other medical follow ups.

Buba equally sought an order directing the chief/deputy chief registrar for the temporary release of her travel documents to enable her travel out for the medical treatment.

Giving seven grounds why her application should be granted, Buba said since she was admitted to bail, she has never abused it and she had always attended court sittings.

The MD, who said she needed the leave of the court to travel abroad for medical treatment, said the treatment required her urgent attention and she would complete same and return the document before the next adjourned date.

In the affidavit in support of the motion, Buba said she needed the permission to travel on Feb. 15 and return back by February ending.

“That I am pregnant and the pregnancy has some complications that requires an expert in the field.

“That I registered my ante-natal medicals with Deda Hospital, Jahi Abuja.

“That upon being examined by the Chief Medical Officer of Deda, there is a discovery of some complications and referred my medical situation to Bridge Clinics, Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist at Indiana University Health, Carmel, Indiana, United States of America,” she said.

She said she had been scheduled for urgent medical treatment in the US.

According to her, I am ready and willing to be in court on any date this honourable court deems appropriate to adjourn the charge for continuation of hearing having regards to this application.

Buba, who undertook to return to the country after the treatment, said she would not jump bail if the application is granted.

She, therefore, urged the court to grant her request in the interest of justice.

But the EFCC’s lawyer, Ogechi Ujam, vehemently opposed the application after Buba’s counsel moved the motion.

Ujam told the court that a counter affidavit was filed on Feb. 3, praying the court to refuse the application.

She stated that all the depositions by Buba were false, speculative and misleading.

The lawyer submitted that contrary to Paragraph 10 of Buba’s affidavit, the date proposed by her to travel had been overtaken by event.

She said contrary to the MD’s averment in her Exhibit B which purports to be a medical report, the consultant did not express his inability to treat her.

She argued that Buba did not submit herself to the treatment of the hospital in Exhibit C and the hospital could not have confirmed her current medical status to necessitate her recommendation to travelling outside of Nigeria.

The lawyer argued that contrary to her application, there was nothing to show that the Nigerian doctors or the Nigeria healthcare system is incapable of treating or managing her pregnancy and health care needs.

Ujam said the bank MD did not explore the Nigerian health care system and there is nothing to show that any other Nigerian doctor at any Nigerian Hospital have advised her to see a foreign doctor or travel for treatment.

According to her, there is no medical appointment scheduled for the 1st defendant/applicant by the proposed hospital for any treatment procedure.

Ujam stated that she was informed by Mr Ahmad Yahaya, one of the medical doctors serving in the EFCC and which she verily believed that Buba can be effectively treated by other hospitals in Nigeria.

She reminded the court that trial had progressed in the case with the prosecution calling three witnesses who had given very serious incriminating evidence against Buba.

She said, in the counter affidavit, that the offences for which Buba is facing trial are serious as they border on money laundering and having called three witnesses, there is higher incentive capable of tempting the defendant to evade trial or even relocate from the country beyond the reach of the court.

“That it is a fact in the public space that it has become a trend that in criminal high profile cases, defendants always bring up medical reasons to travel outside the country to avoid standing trial,” she said.

Ujam said Buba had not put forward any material to show that her said medical condition cannot be treated in Nigeria.

The lawyer, therefore, urged the court to refuse Buba’s application.

After listening to the lawyers, Justice Nwite adjourned the matter until March 4 for ruling. (NAN)