‘Tell EFCC to leave Fani-Kayode for his wife’ | Lawyer tells court

The trial of a former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode resumed on Friday, at a Federal High Court in Lagos with the defense counsel explaining to the presiding judge, Justice M.S Hassan why his client should get bail.

Fani-Kayode was charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly being complicit in the illegal withdrawal of funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria in the build up to the 2015 general election.

He was charged alongside a Former minister of finance, Usman Nemadi.

At the resumption of the hearing, Fani-Kayode’s lawyer explained to the court that, it wasn’t the prerogative of the EFCC to decide if Fani-Kayode should get bail or not, adding that it was enshrined in the constitution and was therefore the place of the court.

He also argued that it was on the prosecution, the EFCC to prove to the court why his client should not be granted bail- which he maintained that the agency had failed to prove.

The EFCC had served a counter-affidavit against the bail application submitted to the court by Fani-Kayode’s counsel but speaking in court, the defense rubbished the document stating “there’s nothing in there.”

There was a brief moment of general approval in the courtroom as Fani-Kayode’s lawyer argued that bail should be determined by the judge and not the prosecution.

The court lit up in humor when the defense lawyer said, “They have had him for 50 days, I concede he’s good looking, but leave him for his wife,” even as the former minister’s wife was spotted in the public gallery of the courtroom.

The judge listened to the arguments from both sides.

The prosecution asked the judge to ignore the bail request as he further asked that conditions that would mandate the defendant to show up in court be given.

The judge adjourned the court to July 4 for his ruling on the bail application.

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