A Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja has threatened to declare former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, wanted over his refusal to appear before the court for his trial. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Fani-Kayode on 12 counts bordering on the use of false documents, use of fabricated evidence, and procuring the execution of documents by false pretence.
The ex-minister was alleged to have forged medical reports, which he tendered before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Lagos, where he is facing prosecution by the EFCC for an alleged N4.9bn fraud.
Fani-Kayode has been scheduled to appear before the court on several occasions since his arraignment on December 17, 2021. However, he has failed to appear, with his counsel citing ill health, which he claims is connected to Fani-Kayode’s encounter with the Department of State Services, which grilled him over some comments before the general elections.
At the Wednesday hearing of the case, Fani-Kayode’s counsel, Mr Chinozo Eze, informed the court that the former minister was not in court due to health issues. Eze further cited the presence of a medical report and a letter seeking the leave of the court to vacate the previously scheduled dates that are already in the court’s file.
The EFCC Counsel, Zinat Atiku, confirmed the development and said that the prosecution’s hands were tied as to how to forge ahead. However, the judge, Justice Olubumni Abike-Fadipe, expressed dissatisfaction with Fani-Kayode’s repeated absence, noting that the last time he was in court was on November 4, 2022.
The judge also frowned on the prosecutor for lack of diligence in the prosecution of the case, noting that anti-graft could withdraw the matter it was not ready to prosecute it. Justice Abike-Fadipe warned that if Fani-Kayode fails to appear at the next adjourned date, she would issue a bench warrant against him.
