Joy, who, along with six others and five companies, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), knelt in prayer and shed tears of relief following the judge’s ruling. Justice Babs Kuewumi made the order following Joy’s application through her lawyer, Mr. A. B. Onifade, seeking the release of her passport to enable her travel to Dubai for medical treatment. Onifade told the court during hearing last Monday that his client was suffering from acute sinusitis, asthma and hypertensive heart disease. He said she had earlier scheduled a medical appointment with her doctor at the Saudi-German Hospital Group and had already purchased an air ticket before she was arrested in April. Joy’s health, he added, had since suffered a decline and he urged Justice Kuewumi to order the EFCC to release her passport to enable her travel abroad, assuring that she would not jump bail or abscond. “The fifth defendant will be away for a maximum of four weeks. We urge Your Lordship to exercise discretion in favour of the fifth defendant,” Onifade said. Although opposed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), the judge, held in a short ruling, held that Joy’s application, dated June 15, was meritorious. The judge observed that her application contained eight grounds in 19 paragraphs and was supported by documents of her medical history as well as travel documents. “The applicant also filed an affidavit of extreme urgency for travel to the Saudi-German Hospital in Dubai, for medical treatment,” Justice Kuewumi noted.]]>