A former Nigerian Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-
Kayode, arrived the premises of the Federal
High Court in Lagos, Wednesday, accompanied
by a contingent of armed police officers, despite
being under prosecution by the federal
government for money laundering.
The former minister is facing a two-count
charge of money laundering before Justice Rita
Ofili-Ajumogobia.
He was recently appointed the Director of Media
and Publicity of the Goodluck/Sambo
Presidential Campaign Organization. Although
he serves on the president’s campaign team, Mr.
Fani-Kayode is currently not recognised as a
public official by Nigerian laws.
Unlike in the past when, as a member of the
opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, he
made his court appearances virtually
unaccompanied; Mr. Fani-Kayode now arrives
the court premises accompanied by armed police
officers and State Security Services, SSS, officers.
On Wednesday, half a dozen armed police
officers leapt out of a trailing patrol van as Mr.
Fani-Kayode arrived the court premises, with
one hurrying to open his car door.
Kola Olapoju, a defence witness, told the court,
during cross examination, that Mr. Fani-Kayode
in 2006 requested for N1 million to “urgently”
offset debts despite having over N8 million in
his bank account.
Mr. Olapoju, the administrator of the Fani-
Kayodes’ estate, said that he was instructed by
the ex-minister to release the money for the
payment of artisans who had renovated his
property.
“That wasn’t the first time the accused (Mr. Fani-
Kayode) will be calling (on the phone) for
money,” Mr. Olapoju, the first defence witness,
said during cross examination, noting that the
transaction was “unusual and exceptional.”
“Most of the time monies were requested for
projects or for relatives or other beneficiaries
and those were to be disbursed directly. And the
few instances where he had to use the money,
I’d have to pay either into his account, give to a
staff, or use as appropriately directed.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had initially
instituted a 47-count charge amounting to N230 million against
the defendant, later pruning it down to 40 counts of N100
million.
Last November, the judge dismissed 38 out of the 40 counts –
leaving the prosecution to dwell on why Mr. Fani-Kayode
received about N2.2 million “without going through a financial
institution.”
On Tuesday, the judge ordered the EFCC to release the former
minister’s international passport seized by the commission
following an order by Justice Ramat Mohammed when the trial
started in December 2008.
Mrs. Ofili-Ajumogobia is the third judge to handle the matter
since then.
Mr. Olapoju said that in 2005, when Mr. Fani-Kayode joined the
government of then President Olusegun Obasanjo, regular
communications with him was “no longer as easy as it used to
be.”
He said that Mr. Fani-Kayode asked him to “urgently” provide
funds from tenants of their estate to pay the artisans.
“He called me by phone for money to pay artisans renovating the
building,” Mr. Olapoju, who said he had been managing the Fani-
Kayodes’ account for 14 years, said.
“To avoid delay of the money, I went out of my way to demand a
cheque be prepared in my name, to save more time.
“After the second payment, about two weeks after, the accused
(Mr. Fani-Kayode) called to enquire if the money had been paid.”
According to the witness, he deposited the first tranche of money
– N1 million – on September 21, 2006, and the second payment –
N1.1 million – was made eight days later.
“I had the instructions of the accused’s Chief of Staff to remit the
money. In fact, by the time I took the latter one he informed me
the artisans had been paid,” said the witness who added that he
had a “standing instruction” from Mr. Fani-Kayode.
“For two weeks, they did not tell the accused money had been
paid into his account.”
But the witness said he was unaware his client’s bank account
contained far more money that he was depositing for the
payment of the artisans.
He also said that he gave the cash to one Supo Agbaje to pay into
Mr. Fani-Kayode’s account but was not aware if Mr. Agbaje paid
the money because he dropped him off outside the bank on his
way to the airport.
The EFCC said Mr. Agbaje, then Personal Assistant to Mr. Fani-
Kayode, is now at large.
Aderemi Ajidahun, the second defence witness, told the court that
Mr. Olapoju had arrived at the accused’s office with cash for his
boss.
Mr. Ajidahun, who was Mr. Fani-Kayode’s Chief of Staff during
the latter’s tenure as a minister, said they were childhood
friends.
“One day around that time (in 2006), he (Mr. Olapoju) walked
into my office and said he wanted to see the accused. I told him
he was not around, in fact, he was not in Nigeria. He told me he
had some funds for the accused.
“The accused does not handle money. I told him to go deposit in
the bank. He said he was in a rush. At that point I called Agbaje
and asked him to follow him to the bank and pay the money into
the bank.
On September 29, Mr. Ajidahun said he received another call
from Mr. Olapoju informing him he was in their office with cash
for the accused.
“Again, the accused, and myself, was not in the office. I asked
him to call Agbaje who assisted him the other time to go pay the
money into the bank.”
The judge adjourned the trial to March 26 for the defence’s third
witness.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/177530-despite-being-prosecuted-for-graft-fani-kayode-arrives-court-with-armed-police-escorts.html

Big man big wahala cage is made for small rat

This is how clueless is fighting corruption how is someone in his or her right state of mind is still going to vote this useless president.

He needs it because the way this guy is giving Apc rats high bp they might assassinate him

Because
Buhari is a terrorist
Apc Is bokoharam
Gej till 2019

hmmm....

The man has bring than the current one.