A Federal High Court in Lagos has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release the travelling passport of a former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, facing money laundering charges.
Fani-Kayode’s passport had been seized by the anti-graft commission on the order of Justice Ramat Mohammed before who his trial started in December 2008.
But Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, on Tuesday ordered the EFCC to submmit Fani-Kayode’s passport to the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court, Mr. Bello Okandeji, to allow him access to it.
The judge said if Fani-Kayode needed the passport, he should file and address a formal application to the court copying the Attorney General of the Federation.
He is to disclose his intended destination and the purpose of his travel in the said application.
Ofili-Ajumogobia added that Fani-Kayode shall not be allowed to stay out of the country for more than 31 days until the conclusion of his trial.
The accused had, through his lawyer, Wale Akoni (SAN), filed an application asking the court to order the release of his passport and grant him permission to travel out of the country.
Ofili-Ajumogobia said the application succeeded as the EFCC did not object to it.
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission shall bring the passport of the accused person to court within 7 days,” the judge held.
Fani-Kayode was arraigned by the EFCC before Ofili-Ajumogobia on February 11, 2013 on 40 counts bordering on money laundering to the tune of N100m.
The EFCC alleged that while he was the Aviation Minister and then the Minister of Culture and Tourism, he transacted at various times in cash sums in excess of N500,000 without going through any financial institution.
According to the EFCC, this alleged offence violated Sections 15(1) (a) (b) (c) (d) and 15 (2) (a) (b) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2004.
Fani-Kayode, however, denied the allegations, upon which the prosecution, led by Mr. Festus Keyamo, opened its case on March 10, 2014 and closed it on July 10, 2014, calling a total of six witnesses in the process.
In response to the prosecution, Fani-Kayode filed a no-case application, insisting that the prosecution had not established a prima facie case against him to warrant him entering any defence.
He asked the court to quash the charges and set him free. -Punch.
