Edo — THE Federal High Court, Enugu, yesterday, granted the former governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, permission to travel to United Kingdom (UK) and United States of America (USA) for medical treatment and also attend to private matters.

The presiding judge, Justice Olayinka Faji, who ruled on Igbinedion's application for leave of the court to embark on the tour during which he also intends to visit his family and renew his residency permit, ordered that he must restrict himself to the two countries while particulars of his residency must be made available to the court.

Igbinedion had through a motion on notice filed by his counsel, Adetunji Oyeyipo, SAN sought the permission of the court to travel for two weeks in compliance with his bail condition that he must not travel outside the country without the approval of the court.

But the prosecution had strongly opposed the application arguing that the former governor now facing a 147-count charge of money laundering and corrupt enrichment while in office between 1999 and 2007 might escape trial, if allowed to travel out of the country.