Femi Fani-Kayode

Former Aviation minister, Chief Femi Fani-kayode, was today , arrested by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the premises of a Federal high court in Lagos south west Nigeria, after the court proceedings. No eason was given for his arrest.

Prior to his arrest, his lawyer, Mr. Wale Balogun, told the court that there was an attempt by the anti -graft agency to arrest his client. He, therefore urged the court to restrain the anti-graft agency from doing so.

In his response EFCC prosecutor , Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, said that he was not aware of any move by the commission to arrest him, and that there was no plan to arrest him on the matter he was in court for, but said that he wouldn’t know if the proposed arrest was on another charge.
Immediately after the court proceedings, as Fani-Kayode was going out out of the court room he was accosted and arrested by the Operatives of the Commission and driven away.

At the commencement of trial today, a witness, Idowu Olusegun, a media consultant, while being led in evidence told the court, that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organization at the last general election is still owing him N24 million. His company Paste Postal company wrote a letter to the Campaign Organization under the directorship of Chief Femi Fani-kayode, for printing of campaign postals for the campaign organization and during the period of negotiation for the printing contract, he did not have any interface with Femi Fani-kayode, but only dealt with one Oke, whose other name he could not recollect.

He proposed the sum of N80 for A2 postal, and the sum of N30 for A4 Flyer, and the sum of N24 million for media consultancy. But the parties negotiated for N50 and N20 for A2 postal, A4 Flyer and N24 million media consultancy respectively.

Idowu further told the court that only the sum of N30 million was paid in two tranches of N6 million and N24 million, while the campaign organization still owes him the sum of N24 million for the media consultancy. The the money was paid to him in cash at PDP Presidential Campaign Organization office located at 14B, Samara Michael Avenue, Asokoro, FCT, Abuja.

When asked why he got the money in cash, the prosecution witness informed the court that he was told by the said Mr. Oke that it was the mode of payment, and that he collected the cash because his firm did the job without receiving any mobilisation.

At this point, the presiding Judge Muslim Hassan Suleiman adjourned till November 14 and 15, for continuation of trial.

Chief Femi Fani -Kayode, former finance Minister Nenadi Esther Usman one Danjuma Yusuf and a limited liability company, Joint Trust Dimension Nig. Limited, are standing trial before the court on a 17-count charge bordering on unlawful retention, unlawful use and unlawful payment of money in the tune of about N4.9 billion.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charge, and accordingly admitted to bail in the sum of N250 million each with two sureties each in like sum.

In the charge, the accused were alleged to have committed the offences between January and March 2015.

In counts one to seven, they were alleged to have unlawfully retained over N3.8 billion which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act of stealing and corruption.

In counts Eight to 14, the accused were alleged to have unlawfully used over N970 million which they reasonbly ought to have known formed part of an unlawful act of corruption.

Meanwhile in counts 15 to17 Fani-Kayode, together with one Olubode Oke who is said to be at large, were alleged to have made cash payments of about N30 million, in excess of the amount allowed by law, without going through a financial institution.

Besides, Fani-Kayode was alleged to have made payments to one Paste Poster Company (PPC) of No 125 Lewis Street, Lagos, in excess of amounts allowed by law.

The offences according to the EFCC are contrary to and punishable under sections 15 (3) (4), 16 (2) (b), and 16 (5) of the Money laundering (prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.
The author of this story Mr Akin Kuponiyi can be reached at
[email protected].