The trial of a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, for alleged fraud of N4.6billion was stalled yesterday before a Federal High Court in Lagos following the absence of the accused.
Fani-Kayode, who is also former Director of Publicity of the ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidential Campaign Organisation, was charged with a former Minister of State for Finance, Senator Nenadi Usman.
Also charged is a former National Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) Yusuf Danjuma, and a company, Jointrust Dimentions Nigeria Limitedd.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had preferred against the accused persons, a 17-count charge of laundering about N4.6billion.
They had each pleaded not guilty.
Yesterday, counsel to Fani-Kayode, Mr Norrison Quakers (SAN), told the court that the accused was unable to attend court due to ill health.
He promised to furnish the court with a medical report to back Fani-Kayode’s claim of ill health, and urged the court to grant an adjournment in his favour.
The request for adjournment was not opposed by the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo.
But the prosecutor urged the court to observe the provision of Section 396(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, which stipulates that no party, in a criminal case, could have more than five adjournments.
Oyedepo noted that already, the case had been adjourned twice at the instance of the accused.
After listening to counsel, Justice Mohammed Aikawa adjourned the case until February 28, March 1 and March 2, for continuation of trial.
The EFCC had arraigned the accused on charges bordering on conspiracy, unlawful retention of proceeds of theft and money laundering.
They were alleged to have committed the offences between January and March 2015.
In counts one to seven, they 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, the accused were alleged to have unlawfully used over N970 million which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of an unlawful act of corruption.
Meanwhile in counts 15 to17, Fani-Kayode and one Olubode Oke who is said to be at large, were alleged to have made cash payments of about N30 million, in excess of the amount allowed by law, without going through a financial institution.
Besides, Fani-Kayode was alleged to have made payments to one Paste Poster Co (PPC) of No 125 Lewis St., Lagos, in excess of amounts allowed by law.
All offences contravenes the provisions of sections 15 (3) (4), 16 (2) (b), and 16 (5) of the Money laundering (prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.
