PANAJI
The plea of a Nigerian convict, Monday Felix Odede, to travel to the High Commission of Nigeria in New Delhi to obtain his passport has been dismissed by the Bombay High Court at Goa, with revelations that Embassy officials had already issued him the new passport.
Odede, involved in a series of cases, including drug-related offences, had filed a criminal application seeking permission to travel to the national capital for a passport or granted relaxation in bail conditions to submit his passport to the local police station within three weeks of release from Colvale Central Jail.
However, during the hearing, the prosecution informed the Court that the High Commission of Nigeria had issued his passport in June 2023 and that Embassy officials had personally delivered it to him in the Colvale Jail.
“The prosecution stated that biometric data and other information were collected from individuals like the applicant, Odede. Subsequently, in November 2023, officials once again visited Goa and delivered passports to these individuals, including the applicant. The High Commission of Nigeria has already issued a passport to him, valid until October 15, 2028,” the prosecution led by S G Bhobe said during the arguments before the Bench of Justice Manish Pitale.
The Bench thereafter observed that it is convinced that in the light of the passport having been issued to the applicant, which at present is lying with the jail authorities, Odede’s prayer in the application is rendered infructuous. Given this, the Court dismissed the plea.
Odede was caught thrice in 2010, 2014 and 2019 for allegedly peddling conventional and party drugs in the northern coastal belt. In 2021, he was sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment for the case in 2014.
