The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has disclosed moves to commence fresh prosecution of a former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode and three others over alleged misappropriation of N4.6 billion and money laundering at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
EFCC Counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) made the disclosure to Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday while demanding for all exhibits and documents tendered during the prosecution.
According to Oyedepo, the move became necessary following the Lagos Division Court of Appeal judgement last week that quashed the charges.
He requested that all exhibits and documents tendered by the prosecution be released to enable the anti-graft agency to commence the matter afresh at an Abuja court.
Justice Osiagor subsequently ordered the release of all exhibits and documents tendered before the court during the hearing of the matter back to the EFCC.
Recall that Justice Mohammed Danjuma of the Court of Appeal had, on April 20, via zoom, delivered judgement on an appeal filed by one of Fani-Kayode’s co-defendants, former Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman, challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, Lagos to hear the matter.
The appellant also submitted that the charge as filed before the Lagos court was defective.
The appeal court unanimously resolved the issues in favour of the appellant and also held that the Federal High Court in Lagos lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter.
The appellate court also held that the facts of the case showed that all the transactions carried out by the Defendants took place in Abuja, hence the Federal High Court Abuja has jurisdiction to hear the case. Read more.
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