Court Clears Former Aviation Minister of Forgery Allegations

Fani-Kayode Acquitted of Medical Report Forgery Charges

Ayomide Ogunsakin
2 Min Read

By Hassanat Adebowale

 

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An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Tuesday acquitted former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, of charges related to forgery of medical reports. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had initially charged Fani-Kayode with 12 counts, including procuring documents by false pretenses and fabricating evidence, on November 11, 2021.

Fani-Kayode pleaded not guilty and subsequently filed a no-case submission. Delivering judgment, Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe ruled that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against him. The judge noted that there was no evidence linking the defendant to the alleged offenses and that the prosecution did not present key witnesses, such as the associates who allegedly received money from Fani-Kayode or the lawyer who reportedly filed the medical reports on his behalf.

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Justice Abike-Fadipe stated, “The remaining extrajudicial statements, intended as evidence, can only be used to contradict the person who made the statement when they testify in the witness box. I have carefully studied the evidence of the prosecution witnesses and cannot find where the defendant committed the alleged offenses. The prosecution has failed to establish a prima facie case requiring the defendant to open his defense.”

The judge concluded by discharging and acquitting Fani-Kayode of the charges. The EFCC had claimed that the medical reports submitted by Fani-Kayode to prove his health status were falsified. Despite presenting seven witnesses, the prosecution failed to substantiate the charges, leading to the no-case submission by Fani-Kayode on December 7, 2024.

The alleged offenses were said to violate Sections 88(1), 365(3), 366, and 369 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2015.

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