by Isi Esene

The Lagos High Court has reportedly released the travel documents of Wale Babalakin, the chairman of Bi-Courtney Group to enable him travel to South Africa to receive adequate medical treatment.

Babalakin’s passport was seized by the Court as he is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly transferring about N4.7bn belonging to the Delta State to Mauritius in favour of  the convicted former governor of the state, James Ibori, in 2006.

The EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs, had accused Babalakin of trying to flee the country to escape arrest saying, “We had an intelligence report that he wanted to leave the country. It is our duty to ensure that he does not escape. It has happened before. Ibori left this country and was jailed in the UK. It is the duty of my client (EFCC) to ensure that this should not happen again.”

Mr. Babalakin and his firms including Renix Nigeria Limited had pleaded not guilty to all the 27 counts against them by the anti-crime commission.