A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has been rearrested by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) over document falsification. Fani-Kayode is standing trial over allegations bordering on N4.6billion money laundering, alongside a former Minister for the state on Finance, Nenadi Usman. Part of the defendant in the case is also a former Chairman of the Association of the local government of Nigeria (ALGON), Yusuf Danjuma, and joint Trust Dimensions Nigeria Limited.
Accordingly, the defendants are facing 17 count charges bordering on money laundering, pressed by the anti-graft against them, though have pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail.
However, as the new judge, Justice Daniel Osaigor assume duty in the last month where the defendants were re-arraigned but Fani Kayode was absent due to his ill health as submitted by his lawyer, Mr Fred Ajudua.
Ajudua prayed to the court for an adjournment on the ground that his client Fani Kayode was indisposed by ill health, the plea which was kicked against by one of the judges, Mrs Bilkisu Buhari, who said that has been the tactics of the defendant whenever he wants to abscond court.
However, after going through the court records, Justice Osiagor granted the plea but insisted that the defendant must avail himself at the next sitting with a N200,000 fine in addition.
Meanwhile today, all the defendants were present at the court.
According to the prosecuting lawyer, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, he revealed to the court that Fani-Kayo has repeatedly evaded appearance in court and the letter he purportedly sent were also discovered to be fake.
Meanwhile, the matter has been adjourned to January 24 for the next trial.
At the court Premises, after the court has dismissed Fani-Kayode for the day, the EFCC directed that he shall come to their office for another case of falsification of documents where they quizzed him.
The crime, Fani Kayode was said to have committed during March 2015.
In counts, one to seven, Fani Kayode and his collaborators were alleged to have unlawfully retained over N3.8 billion which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act of stealing and corruption.
In counts eight to 14, they were alleged to have unlawfully used over N970 million which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of an unlawful act of corruption.
