A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has been acquitted and discharged of medical forgery charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Delivering the ruling on Tuesday, Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, upheld a no-case submission filed by Fani-Kayode’s legal team, ruling that the prosecution failed to establish any case against him.
The forgery charges stemmed from allegations that Fani-Kayode submitted false medical reports to delay his ongoing trial over an alleged N4.9 billion fraud at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The EFCC had accused him of fraudulently obtaining forged medical documents purportedly issued by Kubwa General Hospital, Abuja and tendering them in court.
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However, Justice Abike-Fadipe ruled that the prosecution failed to link Fani-Kayode to the alleged offence, stating that key witnesses—including those who allegedly received money to procure the reports—were never presented before the court.
Key Points from the Ruling:
- The EFCC’s evidence was insufficient to warrant a defence from the former minister.
- Witnesses who allegedly handled the forged medical reports were not called to testify.
- Kubwa General Hospital management denied issuing any medical reports for Fani-Kayode or having him as a patient.
- A prosecution witness claimed Fani-Kayode paid her N820,000 for forged reports, but the court found no direct evidence linking the former minister to the act.
Speaking after the ruling, a visibly relieved Fani-Kayode expressed gratitude for the verdict, describing his 18-year-long legal battles as a nightmare that has finally ended.
“I have been in and out of court for the past 18 years,” he said. “Today, I walk free, and I am overjoyed. Justice has prevailed.”
The EFCC had filed a 12-count charge against Fani-Kayode, alleging that he fraudulently used falsified medical reports to avoid appearing before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
- One of the charges alleged that he presented a forged medical report dated October 11, 2021, claiming it was issued by Kubwa General Hospital.
- Another charge stated that on March 23, 2021, he presented another forged medical report to the court.
- The charges were in violation of Section 369 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State (2015), which criminalizes the procurement and use of fraudulent documents.
However, the court found that the evidence was not strong enough to proceed with the case, leading to the dismissal of all charges against him.