Femi Fani-Kayode, a former minister of aviation, was cleared and discharged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after a trial hearing in Lagos.
The former minister’s lawyer, according to Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe, who rendered the ruling in the case against the prosecution for allegedly bringing a prima facie case against him.
The court upheld his attorney’s request for no case-submission from Norrison Quakers (SAN), and determined that Fani-Kayode lacked an answer because the EFCC had not identified him as the offender.
Justice Abike-Fadipe argued in her decision that the prosecution had neglected to turn over the defendant’s attorneys and associates who claimed the defendant had instructed his law firm to take the medical reports to the Federal High Court.
The judge argued that the extrajudicial statements that are still in place and that are intended as evidence cannot be used for anything other than to refute the witness’s statement.
“I have examined the prosecution’s witness testimony with extreme caution, but I am unable to identify the defendant’s location of the crimes being alleged.
The prosecution “has failed to establish a prima facie defense that would require the defendant to introduce, and not defend”
In response, the judge found the defendant guilty and let the defendant go after the alleged offenses.
Fani-Kayode, who has been in and out of court for the past 18 years, expressed his gratitude and relief to journalists after his discharge, saying that he is relieved and relieved that the verdict has resulted in his release.
Following his alleged use of forged medical reports, which he presented to Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, where he was being prosecuted for an alleged N4.9 billion fraud, the EFCC brought a 12 count charge against him.
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One of the counts reads: “That you, Femi Fani-Kayode, on or about the 11th day of October, 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, by fraudulently used a false document titled: Medical Report on Olufemi Fani-Kayode 60 Years/Male/Hosp. No. 00345 DATED 11/10/2021 before the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division in charge No. FHC/L/251C/2016 which document you purported to have been issued by Kubwa General Hospital”.
Another count reads: “That you, Femi Fani-Kayode, on or about the 23rd day of March, 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently used a false document titled: To Whom It May Concern Re: Femi Fani-Kayode Male/60 Years Hospital. No. 32145 Dated 23rd March 2021 before the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division in charge No. FHC/L/251C/2016 which document you purported to have been issued by Kubwa General Hospital”.
The EFCC noted that the use of false pretenses to obtain and execute documents is against the provisions of section 369 of Lagos State’s Criminal Law.
During the trial, the management of Kubwa General Hospital, Abuja had denied admitting Femi Fani-Kayode as one of its patients.
The hospital’s management informed Justice Abike-Fadipe that the hospital did not release a medical report that the former minister had presented to the court, according to Bassey Amah, the hospital’s head of medical records.
Fani-Kayode is not a patient and does not have a medical report in the hospital, according to Amah, who testified before the court as the first prosecution witness.
A second prosecution witness, Abidat Bukola told the court how the , former Minister of Aviation, allegedly gave her N820, 000 to procure four forged medical reports.
The witness testified that Fani-Kayode at different times paid her the sums of N120, 000, N150, 000, N250, 000 and N300, 000 for the forged medical reports.
She also asserted that the former minister had final say in what should be in medical reports.
The former minister, however, denied the allegations.
Source: Channels TV
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