The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has granted former Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, permission to travel to Dubai for medical treatment and surgery.
Justice Slyvanus Oriji approved the request on Tuesday following an application filed by Ishaku’s counsel, Chris Umar.
The prosecution did not oppose the application.
The court subsequently adjourned the case until October 5, 2026, for the continuation of trial.
Ishaku is standing trial alongside Bello Yero, a former permanent secretary in the Taraba Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, on a 15-count charge bordering on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and alleged diversion of public funds.
Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The former governor served as Taraba State governor between 2015 and 2023.
During Monday’s proceedings, a witness, Taiwo Johns, an official of the Taraba Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, told the court that N1.8 billion earmarked for the purchase of Christmas grains in the state was allegedly diverted through his company’s account.
Johns testified that the funds were paid into the account of his company, P3 Cornerstone International Nigeria Limited, on the instruction of Yero, his former supervisor and the second defendant in the case.
He added that the money was transferred from the Gassol Local Government Area account to his company through 69 separate transactions.
Continuing his testimony on Tuesday, Johns said several local government councils, including Donga, Zing, Gassol and Yorro, transferred funds into his company’s account in July 2019 for the procurement and distribution of Christmas grains.
He further told the court that the N3 million paid into his company’s account by Yorro LGA on July 22, 2019, was withdrawn and handed over to Yero, who allegedly took the money to the Government House.
“On July 24, 2019, Blessed Springs Modern Communication credited my account with N4.4 million,” he said.
“On that day, I reported to my superior, Babangida Hassan, the director of finance. On the same date, he gave an instruction on the account the money would be transferred to, which he said was a directive from above.
“On the same July 24, 2019, there were two transfers of N10 million each, into the P3 Cornerstone account. I reported the same to my boss.
“The two N10 million was paid into my account by the same person, Henrietta Meepatan, I withdrew N6 million, N5million and N1million.”