Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has dragged the former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode to court.
Gatekeepers News reports that Fani-Kayode has been arraigned before Justice O.O Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria for offenses bothering on fake medical reports.
EFCC on Tuesday claimed that the ex-minister procured one Dr Ogieva Oziegbe to issue the fake medical report, which he allegedly tendered before the Federal High Court in his ongoing money laundering trial.
The charge sheet of Fani-Kayode who was brought to court by the EFCC on 12 counts partly read, “That you Femi Fani-Kayode on or about the 11th day of October, 2021 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to mislead the Federal High Court Lagos Judicial Division in charge No. FHC/L/251C/2016 fabricated a documentary evidence titled: MEDICAL REPORT ON OLUFEM! FANI KAYODE 60 YEARS/MALE/HOSP. NO.00345 DATED 11/10/2021 and purported same to have been issued by Kubwa General Hospital.”
Below is the five-page charge sheet of the case:
The anti-corruption agency noted that the offence is contrary to and punishable under section 88(1) (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
EFCC Counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, therefore, urged the court to take the plea of the defendant.
However, Fani-Kayode Counsel, Wale Balogun, who opposed the prayer, noted that the defence team has filed an application to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter.
In response, Oyedepo urged the court to dismiss the application on the grounds that it’s an attempt to frustrate the trial because the defendant was charged with Lagos law and it can only be heard in Lagos jurisdiction.
He noted that the Administration of Criminal Justice has addressed various antics about frivolous applications meant to delay the wheel of justice not to succeed to frustrate the trial.
Balogun in a counter-reaction told the court that the various authorities cited by the prosecution to back up his claims are wrongly interpreted, stressing that the application is not to challenge the validity of the charge information but the jurisdictions to preside over the matter.
After entertaining the submission of the lawyers, Justice Abike-Fadipe reserved the ruling till Friday, December 17 to decide the application.
