Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is to commence afresh the prosecution of a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, and three others at the Federal High Court, Abuja on alleged misappropriation of N4.6bn and money laundering
Counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, told Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday that this move became necessary following last week’s judgment of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, which quashed the charges.
Oyedepo said that given the judgment of the Court of Appeal, all exhibits and documents tendered by the prosecution should be released to enable the Commission to commence the matter afresh at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Justice Osiagor subsequently ordered the release of all exhibits and documents tendered before the court during the hearing of the matter back to the EFCC.
Justice Mohammed Danjuma, Justice Fatima Akinbami and Justice Onyekachi Otisi of the Court of Appeal had last Thursday delivered judgement on an appeal filed by one of Fani-Kayode’s co-defendants, former Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, Lagos to hear the matter. The appellant also submitted that the charge as filed before the Lagos court was defective.
The appeal court unanimously resolved the issues in favour of the appellant and also held that the Federal High Court in Lagos lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter.