Corrupt former minister Eddie Obeid has suffered another legal blow after he was ordered to hand his passport over to authorities.
Crown prosecutor Daniel Noll said on Thursday there were concerns the 71-year-old would fail to appear at future court dates and that he had a large personal fortune and dual citizenship in Lebanon, where he is renovating an inherited property.
Adding to those concerns is the fact that Lebanon does not have an extradition treaty with Australia.
Justice David Davies agreed but denied Mr Noll's request to prohibit contact between Obeid and the 30-odd crown witnesses, only ordering the fallen powerbroker to stay away from ex-Maritime NSW boss Steve Dunn.
Obeid, who is fighting misconduct charges, is accused of making inducements to Mr Dunn in return for extensions on leases for lucrative family-owned businesses in Sydney's Circular Quay in 2007.
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