One of the counsels to former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Dieprieye Alamieyieseigha, Mr. Alex Teru, has told a Federal High Court in Lagos that the embattled governor had applied for and secured a visa to travel to Dubai, United Arabs Emirate to attend to his his failing health.
Teru Said this became necessary following the federal government’s inability to secure him a visa earlier, adding that the embattled former chief executive of Bayelsa is expected to travel by Wednesday, April 4.
The counsel who at the resumed hearing of the 40-count charge of money laundering levelled against Alamieyeseigha and his companies, made the disclosure after the lead prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs informed the court that the Federal Government is yet to secure a visa for Alamieyeseigha to travel abroad.
According to Jacobs, they were yet to secure a visa but are ready to produce the former governor in court at the next hearing of the case, saying that the issue of visa is ancillary to the trial of Alamieyeseigha. It was at this point that Ms Jennifer Unurhoro, who appeared for Alamieyeseigha told the court that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has not made any application to secure a visa for her client to travel abroad.
The presiding judge, Justice Muhammed Shuaib had explained to all that he lacked the powers to order a country to grant visa to the accused person, adding that no suchapplication was before him.
Though it is not clear if the federal government would allow Alamieyeseigha travel to Dubai for treatment,this is because he once jumped bail before a Southwark Crown Court in the United Kingdom .
Alamieyeseigha was arraigned on December 21, 2005, and among the allegations preferred against him in the charges dated December 19, 2005, was that himself and a company, Solomon & Peters Ltd. between October 1999 and December 2003, converted 241 million pounds (N60.7billion) from Lagos to London to buy the properties at a Flt 202 Jubilee Heights, Shoot Uphill London NW23 UQ.
Seven other companies that are to be tried alongside Alamieyeseigha are: Solomon & Peters Ltd., Santolina Investment Corporation, Pesol Nigeria Ltd., Salomein and Associates (Nig) Ltd., Kpedefa Nigeria Ltd., Jetty Properties Ltd. and Herbage Global Services Ltd.
Chief Alamieyeseigha and Herbage Global Services Limited were also alleged to have between January 2005 and September 2005, in the Lagos judicial division ofthe Federal High Court, converted the sum of N1.5billion to buy a property known as Chelsea Hotel Abuja.
Mar292007