- Safiu Kehinde
Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has broken silence hours after the dismissal of the medical forgery charges against him.
The Ikeja Special Offences Court had on Tuesday ruled out the 12-count charge bordering on procurement of a “fabricated” medical report and use of the false document filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
NPO reported that 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 in a post on his official X handle, the ex-Aviation Minister expressed his delight with his acquittal over what he claimed to be the last and final set of criminal charges filed against him by the EFCC.
The elated Fani-Kayode recounted his ordeal all through his legal battle which he said spanned through 18 years, depriving him of chance to focus on his family.
Citing a popular statement of late United States nationalist, Martin Luther King (jnr), Fani-Kayode declared himself free at last.
“It was a great day and a great victory in court today.
“The Lagos State High Court has discharged me of the last and final set of criminal charges that were proferred against me by the EFCC and I give thanks to God.
“Finally, after 18 long and difficult years of constant and consecutive criminal cases in no less than four separate courts in different parts of the country, I have won the last one and it is all over.
“After 18 years I finally have my life back and can focus on my family and loved ones.
“Perhaps more than any other Nigerian living or dead I know what the true meaning of “lawfare” is and like Rev. Martin Luther King (jnr.) once proudly said I can finally scream the following words from the top of the roof:
“FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST, THANK GOD ALMIGHTY WE ARE FREE AT LAST”.
“To God alone be the glory.” Fani-Kayode wrote.