Fani-Kayode Challenges Lagos Court’s Jurisdiction To Try Him

A former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has challenged the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Lagos to try him in the ongoing N4.6 billion money-laundering trial.

Fani-Kayode, on Wednesday, therefore asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to transfer the case to the court’s Abuja division.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had re-arraigned the ex-Aviation Minister and Senator Nenadi Usman for alleged N4.6billion fraud.

Arguing the application before Justice Rilwan Aikawa, Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Mr. Norrison Quakers (SAN), said the court lacked the jurisdiction to try the case in Lagos.

However, lawyer to the Economic and financial Crimes Commission [EFCC], Rotimi Oyedepo argued that the application is a plot to stall or delay the trial.

Oyedepo, therefore, urged the court to refuse the application.

He said that the instruments of transactions, including cheques and receipts, “were recovered in Lagos.”

He also stated that “The financial institutions used in the transactions have their head offices in Lagos.”

Oyedepo noted that Fani-Kayode’s lawyers also raised the issue of transfer before Justice Hassan, yet the Chief Judge, re-assigned the case to another judge in Lagos rather than one in Abuja.

“The consequence of the alleged offence of money laundering is not limited to Abuja, but the entire federation. All the instruments of transaction were brought by Zenith Bank in Lagos,” he said.

Oyedepo had sought to tender receipts showing that Fani-Kayode made a cash payment of N30 million to the first prosecution witness, a media consultant, Adewumi Idowu.

The EFCC sought to tender the two receipts acknowledging cash payments of N24million and N6million, but Quakers objected on the basis that they were not the originals.

Justice Aikawa adjourned till September 26 and 27 for ruling and continuation of trial.

The defendants, Fani Kayode and Senator Usman had pleaded not guilty to the 17-count charge of laundering.

They were first arraigned before Justice Muslim Hassan, but he recused himself on March 16, after Fani-Kayode accused him of likely bias.

The judge transferred the case file to the Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Auta, for re-assignment to another judge.

He said the facts of the case show that all the transactions took place in Abuja.

The transactions were allegedly carried out while the former minister was the Director of Media and Publicity of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation.

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