The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday rejected an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the arrest of a former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode.
EFCC’s lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar, had asked the court to revoke the bail granted to the ex-minister and issue a warrant for his arrest, following his absence from court for his trial lately.
Abubakar, who implored the court to issue a bench warrant on the defendant, also urged the court to summon his surety to show cause why the bail bond should not be forfeited.
Regent Times that the ex-minister was on Nov. 10, 2016, admitted to a N50-million bail bond, with a surety in the like sum.
Fani-Kayode was arraigned for allegedly diverting N26 million he received from the embattled National Security Adviser, retired Col. Sambo Dasuki, during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
However, the defence counsel, Mr Wale Balogun, urged the court to dismiss the EFCC’s oral application and tendered a medical report dated Nov. 24, 2020, advising the former minister to observe some bed rest.
In his ruling, Justice John Tsoho rejected the application for the issuance of an arrest warrant against the ex-minister on the grounds that the medical report, which his lawyer presented, showed that he had justifiable grounds to be absent from trial on Wednesday.
He later adjourned the case until Feb. 23 and 24.
