Akinwale Akintunde
An Ikeja Magistrate Court monday granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) an order to further remand former Minister of Aviation and Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation spokesperson for the 2015 presidential, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, in its custody for 21 days over an alleged N1.5 billion fraud.
Chief Magistrate Bola Osunsanmi gave the order following a remand application filed by EFCC, stating that keeping the former spokesperson further in custody would give the commission the opportunity to conclude investigations on several fraud cases concerning him before he is charged to court.
Fani-Kayode appeared in court in a white kaftan and peer of black slippers.
EFCC counsel, Mr. A. N. Anana, also submitted that keeping the suspect in their custody will further help prevent him (Fani-Kayode) the chance of tampering with evidences already gotten against him.
“We have an application before the court, an order of remand dated May 10 brought pursuant to Section 261 of ACJL. Attached with it is a nine paragraph affidavit of urgency deposed to by one Tosin Ngbodagha.”
Anana therefore urged the court to grant the application.
Opposing EFCC’s remand application, Fani Kayode’s counsel, Mr. Wale Balogun argued that granting such application would amount to breach of his client’s constitutional rights.
He told the court that the defendant had been earlier granted an administrative bail by the EFCC on May 12 but was not released.
He also informed the court the anti-graft agency had gotten the same order of remand for 14 days before an Abuja Chief Magistrate Court, adding that the commission came to Lagos to get another remand order after the. Abuja order expired.
“On the issue of remand, we are asking the court that defendant cannot be remanded in lieu of the fact that the matter is pending before High Court on the same subject, under the Criminal Justice Act of Lagos. It is a breach of Constitution. They granted him bail but refuse to release him.”
He therefore urged the court to disregard the EFCC’s remand application against his client.
Ruling on the application, Chief Magistrate Osunsanmi held that Fani-Kayode’s counsel failed to exhibit any document before the court to show that his client has been charged before any court for the alleged offence.
She therefore ordered that Fani-Kayode be remanded at the EFCC’s custody for three weeks pending when he will be arraigned at the appropriate court.
