COURT APPROVES SENATE LEADER, NDUME'S APPLICATION TO TRAVEL ABROAD FOR HAJJ

An Abuja Federal High Court on Tuesday granted an application by the Senate Majority Leader, Ali Ndume, who is charged with links to Boko Haram, to allow him travel to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj.
Mr. Ndume was arraigned after he was implicated by a member of the Boko Haram sect, Ali Konduga, who has since been convicted and sentenced for the offence.‎
Delivering a short ruling on the Senator’s application, the trial judge, Gabriel Kolawole, ordered the court’s Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR) Litigation, to release Mr. Ndume’s passport and other travel documents to him.
Justice Kolawole also ordered Mr. Ndume to return the travel documents to the DCR within 72 hours of his return to the country.
Mr. Ndume’s application, which was dated June 23, 2015, and moved by his counsel, Rose Okotie-Eboh, was not opposed to by the prosecution counsel, Muslim Hassan.

The Senator, who had been granted such applications in the past, will embark on the trip to Mecca on July 3.
He had deposited his passport and other travel documents with the court registry in fulfilment of the bail conditions given him by the court since his arraigned on Dec. 3, 2013.
Mr. Ndume of Borno South Senatorial District, had also pleaded not guilty to the charges following which he was granted bail.