A Lagos State Special Offences Court, sitting in Ikeja, has threatened to declare a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, wanted over his refusal to appear before the court for his trial.
OsunDaily News reports that Justice Olubumni Abike-Fadipe, of the special court on Wednesday expressed displeasure at the consistent absence of the former minister, since he was arraigned on December 17, 2021.
The judge said the last time Fani-Kayode appeared before the court was November 4, 2022 and so if he fails to appear at the next adjournment, he would be declared wanted.
It would be recalled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had dragged Fani-Kayodeto court on 12 counts bordering on the use of false documents, use of fabricated evidence, and procuring the execution of documents by false pretence.
He was alleged to have forged medical report(s), which he tendered before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Lagos, where he is being prosecuted by the EFCC for an alleged N4.9 billion fraud.
However, on Wednesday, Justice Abike-Fadipe faulted the former minister’s consistent absence, while citing excuses that had been tendered by the defendant for Fani-Kayode in court to face his trial.
It was gathered that at the last adjourned date, Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Mr Wale Balogun, informed the court of the absence of the defendant, citing ill health, which he said was connected to Fani-Kayode’s encounter with the Department of State Services (DSS) which grilled him over some comments ahead of the general elections.
Balogun had pleaded with the court to grant him adjournment with a promise to make him available at Wednesday’s proceeding.
But at the resumed hearing of the matter on Wednesday the defendant’s counsel Mr Chinozo Eze, told the court that Fani-Kayode was not in court due to health issues.
He told the court that a medical report and a letter seeking the leave of the court to vacate the two dates were already in the court’s file.
EFCC Counsel, Zinat Atiku, confirmed the development and said the prosecution’s hands were tied as to how to forge ahead.
It was the latest development that angered the judge, who consequently threatened to issue a bench warrant against him if he fails to show up at the next adjourned date.
The judge also faulted 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.
