The Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, has acquitted and discharged a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, of the charge of medical forgery levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,EFCC.
Justice Olubumni Abike-Fadipe who freed the former minister while delivering ruling on the no-case submission filed by his counsel held that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against him.
The court upheld the no case-submission filed by his counsel, Norrison Quakers and ruled that Fani-Kayode had no case to answer as the EFCC did not link him to the offence.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Femi Fani-Kayode, on or about the 11th day of October, 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, by fraudulently used a false document titled: Medical Report on Olufemi Fani-Kayode 60 Years/Male/Hosp. No. 00345 DATED 11/10/2021 before the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division in charge No. FHC/L/251C/2016 which document you purported to have been issued by Kubwa General Hospital.”
Another count reads: “That you, Femi Fani-Kayode, on or about the 23rd day of March, 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently used a false document titled: To Whom It May Concern Re: Femi Fani-Kayode Male/60 Years Hospital. No. 32145 Dated 23rd March 2021 before the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division in charge No. FHC/L/251C/2016 which document you purported to have been issued by Kubwa General Hospital.”
Before the court, Fani-Kayode was facing 12 a count charge brought against him by the EFCC following his alleged use of forged medical reports, which he tendered before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, where he was being prosecuted by the EFCC for an alleged 4.9billion Naira fraud.
The EFCC had noted that procuring and execution of documents by false pretence is contrary to section 369 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
