Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of an Ikeja Special Offences Court yesterday acquitted and discharged former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode of charges of medical forgery filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The judge arrived at the decision while ruling on the ‘no case submission’ filed by Fani-Kayode’s counsel, Wale Balogun (SAN).
Justice Abike-Fadipe held that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendant.
The judge stated that the EFCC did not provide sufficient evidence linking Fani-Kayode to the alleged offences, nor did it present key witnesses, such as the defendant’s associates who allegedly collected money from him or the lawyer who purportedly submitted the medical reports to the Federal High Court on his behalf.
“I have carefully studied the evidence of the prosecution witnesses and cannot find where the defendant committed the offences alleged,” Justice Abike-Fadipe ruled.
She further noted that extrajudicial statements tendered as evidence could not be used substantively against the defendant.
Consequently, the court ruled that there was no need for the defendant to open his defence and discharged him of all charges.