The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission obtained an order to recall all documents submitted in evidence of the £4.6bn money laundering case against former aviation minister, Femi Fani Kayode on Tuesday.
The EFCC received an order from Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal Court in Lagos to enable it re-file the charges in the Abuja Court.
The decision to move the case from Lagos to Abuja followed an Appeal Court ruling that the Abuja branch of the Federal High Court had jurisdiction to hear the case rather than Lagos’.
The EFCC has filed charges against Fani Kayode alongside former Minister of State for Finance, Nenandi Usman; Yusuf Danjuma, former chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria and a company, Jointrust Dimensions Nigeria Ltd.
In the 17 indictments filed against them, they accused him of laundering N4.6 billion in the build-up to the 2015 general elections.
During the trial before Judge Lilwan Aikawa of Lagos, the defendant challenged the court’s jurisdiction and claimed that the facts of the case had taken place in Abuja, not Lagos.
However, Judge Aikawa dismissed their objection after which they went on appeal.
The appellate court later upheld the defendants’ appeal, holding that the Lagos court lacks jurisdiction over the case.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, EFCC Prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), told the court that in view of the judgment of the Court of Appeal, all exhibits and documents tendered by the prosecution should be released to enable the commission to commence the matter afresh at the Federal High Court Abuja.
Justice Osiagor granted the application.
In the charges, the EFCC alleged that Fani Kayode and others at various times unlawfully retained over N4.6bn which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of unlawful acts of stealing and corruption.
cc: Punch Ng
