- Safiu Kehinde
An Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos has dismissed the medical forgery charge filed against former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court had at the sitting on Tuesday ruled out the 12-count charge bordering on procurement of a “fabricated” medical report and use of the false document.
The presiding judge, Justice Olabunmi Abike-Fadipe, acquitted and discharged Fani-Kayode as she held that the EFCC lacked the constitutional power to try the former Minister of the offence
Reacting, the EFCC told the court that the allegations against Fani-Kayode were not an economic crime, and the evidence and witnesses failed to link him to the offences as well.
Fani-Kayode was alleged to have procured one Dr Ogieva Oziegbe to issue a fake medical report, which he allegedly tendered before the Federal High Court, where he is currently standing trial before Just
According to reports, the EFCC had also claimed that the defendant on October 11, 2021, in Kubwa, Abuja, connived with one Dr Ogieva Oziegbe to execute a document titled ‘MEDICAL REPORT ON Olufemi Fani Kayode 60 YEARS/MALE/HOSP. NO.00345’ and purported same to have been issued by Kubwa General Hospital.
The Commission further maintained that procuring and executing documents by false pretence contradict Section 369 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.