Court grants Sen. Ndume leave to travel for Hajj

Senator Ali Ndume

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja today granted an application by Senator Ali Ndume, who is charged with terrorism to enable him travel to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj.

Ndume was arraigned after he was implicated by a suspected 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, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, ordered the court’s Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR) Litigation, to release Ndume’s passport and other travel documents to him.

Justice Kolawole also ordered Ndume to return the travel documents to the DCR within 72 hours of his return to the country.

Ndume’s application, which was dated June 23, 2015, and moved by his counsel, Miss Rose Okotie-Eboh, was not opposed to by the prosecution counsel, Mr 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.

NAN recalls that Ndume of Borno South Senatorial District, now Senate Leader, has pleaded not guilty to the charges after which he was granted bail.