Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of an Ikeja Special Offences Court has expressed displeasure over the delay in the trial of former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, for alleged forgery.
Fani-Kayode, along with former Minister of State for Finance, Nemadi Usman, were facing trial for alleged money laundering and diversion of N4.9 billion at a Federal High Court in 2018.
The prosecution alleged that the former minister had allegedly brought several medical reports to stall the case.
On investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the anti-graft agency found the medical reports allegedly obtained by the former minister from several government hospitals to be fake.
On December 17, 2021, the EFCC arraigned Fani-Kayode before the special offences court for allegedly procuring the execution of documents by false pretence; use of false documents, fabricating evidence and use of fabricated evidence.
At Friday’s proceedings, Justice Abike–Fadipe frowned at the prosecution and the defence counsel for wasting the time of the court as the trial could not commence.
Abike-Fadipe enquired from the EFCC counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, about the amended charge the anti-graft agency had sought to file against the former minister.
Buhari, in her response, said that the EFCC had not taken any action on the amended charge.
Defence counsel, Wale Balogun, also told the judge he had not filed an application to get a copy of the proof of evidence from the EFCC because the commission had not amended its charge.
The judge said the parties in the suit had wasted precious judicial time of the court, noting that Balogun ought to have applied for the proof of evidence without waiting for the EFCC’s amended charge.
The judge adjourned the case until February 23 for commencement of trial.
(NAN)
