Former aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode stands accused of money laundering by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which is poised to initiate fresh proceedings against him.
The anti-corruption agency will likely file proceedings with a federal high court in Abuja.
In June 2016, the commission had previously charged Fani-Kayode and Nenadi Usman, a former minister of state for finance, with 17 counts. Danjuma Yusuf and Joint Trust Dimensions Limited are also named as defendants in the case.
The defendants were accused of committing the crimes in Lagos between January and March of 2015.
At various periods, they were alleged to have unlawfully retained over N4.6 billion that they “reasonably ought to have known was the product of unlawful acts of theft and corruption.”
The case was heard by three federal high court judges in Lagos.
Despite the fact that Judge Daniel Osiagor, before whom the defendants were re-arraigned, has yet to rule, an appeal challenging the court’s jurisdiction has been lodged.
The appeal was successful, and on April 20, the appellate court overturned the trial.
At the resumption of the session on Tuesday, EFCC counsel Rotimi Oyedepo stated that the commission would need to refile the case in the Abuja jurisdiction in light of the court of appeal’s ruling.
Consequently, he requested the prosecution’s exhibits and documents during the trial in the Lagos division.
Judge Osiagor granted the request and ordered the release of all exhibits and documents presented to the court during the case’s hearing.
