A Federal High Court in Lagos has discharged and acquitted a former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, of corruption charges.
In her judgment, the judge​, Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia,​ said the prosecution’s case was “feeble” and failed to provide “copious evidence” linking Mr. Fani-Kayode to money laundering.
Mr. Fani-Kayode, whose trial began in 2008 before Justice Ramat Mohammed, was arraigned by the E
​conomic and Financial Crimes Commission, E​FCC​,​ for allegedly laundering about N100 million while he was minister of culture and tourism and subsequently, aviation minister.
The allegedly laundered sum was, however, reduced to N2.1million on Nov
​ember 17, 2014 after the court dismissed 38 of the 40-count charge levelled against Mr. Fani-Kayode for want of proof. ​T​he EFCC prosecutor, ​Festus Keyamo, while urging the court to uphold the remaining two counts and to accordingly convict Mr. Fani-Kayode, said the former minister failed to exonerate himself of the allegations.
Mr. Keyamo pointed out that the object of the charge was that Mr. Fani-Kayode transacted in cash sums above N500,000, which was the threshold stipulated by the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
Mr. Keyamo had argued that Mr. Fani-Kayode admitted making such transactions in his confessional statement of Dec. 22, 2008 made to the EFCC.
Mr. Keyamo had argued that the prosecution had discharged its duty once it established that Mr. Fani-Kayode transacted in large sums above the Money Laundering threshold, adding that it was left for Mr. Fani-Kayode to explain the source of the money.
“Once you cannot explain the source of the large sum of money found on you, you are guilty of money laundering. If the prosecution must show where the money is coming from, then the whole essence of the money laundering law is defeated.
“It is not in all cases that the burden of proof lies on the prosecution; the burden at this point shifts to the accused person,” Mr. Keyamo argued.
But Mr. Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), in his summary argument, maintained that Mr. Fani-Kayode made no confession to the EFCC, adding that the anti-graft agency failed to show that Mr. Fani-Kayode actually accepted a cash sum of N1million as alleged.
Mr. Adedipe said the EFCC also failed to show to the court the person who handed the cash sum to the accused person.
He said for the case of the prosecution to succeed, it had to be proven beyond reasonable doubts.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/185898-breaking-court-clears-fani-kayode-of-corruption-charges.html

stale

Okay

So much for CHANGE!

Our judiciary is highly corrupt.

Now Fani Kayode can resume his obligation of bashing APC daily. Buhari must be having suicidal thoughts, no day passes without bad news coming to the dullard.

He pass the first step remain the 2nd step. The hard way and the only way.


Soon EFCC will be set up.

PMB norva get him time. When his time reaches, he'll dance shakiti Bobo to the music.

yorke1:
Okay

What do u expect wen a criminal is guarded by 15 armed police men. I av not given up on Nigeria sha, but may d children of those corrupt judges die untimely and stroke with deadly incurable illnesses if the will prosecute harshly on citizens that commit lesser crimes. So people await trails inside kiriri for wandering and stealing "handset". It's just so terrible dat u can't even get justice anywia in Nigeria, we will soon begin to subscribe to legit jungle justice. #timebomb

No be small amount of "coke, crack and smack" the dealers 4 ikoyi axis go sell this night 4 him street oh? Make I go iron my iro and buba dey wait 4 this gbedu men!

FFK as Court don set you free na #GODWIN.
Mr Mouth Action keep giving your gullible supporters MOUTH ACTION instead of the CHANGE you promised them.

IsaAbubakaAzeez:
tsawa warwatsa ku mama kai can

confused

tayebest:
Barcanista and TANoids will rush to make new tread nd say it was PMB govt that set him free...





Bunch of hypocrite!

My brother, I de laugh Muhammadu Buhari and the overrated Festus Keyamo. I thought Buhari was coming to "jail" every corrupt element but the reverse seem to be the case.

Festus Keyamo being a presecutor could not even establish fact to nail FFK but he's instead shifted it on FFK to prove that he wasn't a thief. Yes, FFK is corrupt but Keyamo is a clown.

What a sad news!