Court adjourns Fani-Kayode’s money laundering trial

A federal high court in Lagos on Tuesday adjourned till November 11 the trial of Femi Fani-Kayode, who is standing trial on charges of money laundering.

Fani-Kayode, a former minister of aviation, is being tried for an amended 40-count charge bordering on money laundering by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to NAN, the suit which was earlier fixed for the hearing of addresses of counsel, on Tuesday suffered another adjournment.

The court’s registrars simply informed parties that the suit had been scheduled for a further date without giving reason for the adjournment.

The EFCC, which opened its case on March 10, called a total of six witnesses including investigating police officers, bank legal officer, relationship officer and a former aide to Fani-Kayode.

All witnesses had given testimonies as to their relationship with the accused as well as the manner of investigations conducted on him.

The EFCC closed its case on July 10, while Wale Akoni, a senior advocate of Nigeria and counsel to the accused, informed the court of his intention to file an application for a no-case submission on behalf of the accused.

The judge, who is the third to handle the case in five years, had adjourned the hearing to take addresses from counsel.

Fani-Kayode was first arraigned in December 2008 before Justice Ramat Mohammed on a 47-count charge.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge and Mohammed granted him bail in the sum of N200 million with two sureties in like sum.

He was re-arraigned before Binta Murtala-Nyako following the transfer of Mohammed from the Lagos division.

The accused was again re-arraigned before another judge, Ajumogobia, on February 11, 2013 after the transfer of Murtala-Nyako.

Following the amendment of the 47-count charge to 40-count with the EFCC dropping seven of the counts, Fani-Kayode was re-arraigned before Ajumogobia on March 6.

The accused was said to have carried out transactions with funds exceeding N500,000 without going through a financial institution.

He was also alleged to have accepted cash payments to the tune of N100 million, while serving as minister of aviation and minister of culture and tourism respectively.

The offences contravened the provisions of Sections 15(1), (a), (b), (c), (d) and 15 (2) (a), (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004.