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Tag: former Aviation Minister

  • Nnamdi Kanu: Court okays suit seeking trial of Fani-Kayode, Abaribe

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has given permission for the commencement of a suit seeking to compel the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to investigate and prosecute former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe and others over their alleged involvement in how Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) escaped from the country.

    Justice John Tsoho gave the permission on Friday after listening to applicant’s lawyer, Oghenovo Otemu, who moved a motion ex-parte for leave to commence an action for order of mandamus.

    Read Also:Nnamdi Kanu: Lawyer confirms Jerusalem appearance

    The judge said he was convinced that the applicant, Isaiah Ayugu, could proceed to properly apply for the order sought.

    Justice Tsoho ordered Ayugu to file a motion on notice to that effect and serve the respondents before the next date of November 22 this year.

    Ayugu, in the ex-parte motion, said he was concerned about the turn of event and the damage the scandal about Kanu’s disappearance and the claim that the Nigerian sate was responsible have had on the nation’s image both at home and abroad.

    He listed the Director General of the SSS, the SSS, the Inspector general of Police (IGP) and the NPF as respondents in suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1254/18.

    Ayugu argued that by recently revelation that Kanu was in Israel, it was evident that Fani-Kayode, Abaribe, Kanu’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor and others, who had accused the Nigerian Army of being behind Kanu’s disappearance, knew about the IPOB leader’s escape from Nigeria.

    The plaintiff stated, in a supporting affidavit, “that the said Nnamdi Kanu, the so called self-acclaimed leader of IPOB, da group that has long been proscribed and designated a terrorist group, is alive and was seen in Israel from where he called a world press conference and made a live broadcast of his new and renewed agenda for his group.

    “In the broadcast, Kanu boasted that he will bring ‘hell to Nigeria.’ It is therefore clear that, whilst Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, Femi Fani-Kayode, Ifeanyi Ejiofor,  Tochukwu Uchendu, Emmanuel Shallow Ben, Emmanuel Kanu, Uchechi Kanu, leaders of Afaraukwu community in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia state, the different civil liberty organisations and media practitioners and so many others too numerous to mention were making several dangerous claims that Nnamdi Kanu has been killed, abducted or being held by the Army,  they were aware that he was actually out of the country, by their collective or respective assistance, from where he resurfaced in video clips of him praying in Israel and subsequent video broadcast.

    “Because Senator Abaribe took Nnamdi Kanu on bail, the case against Nnamdi Kanu has not seen the light of the day as Nnamdi Kanu has now jumped bail.”

    The plaintiff said he intend to apply for an order of mandamus, mandating the respondents “to immediately investigate the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Nnamdi Kanu from Nigeria when, in fact, the Nigerian Army was accused of abducting, arresting, kidnapping, killing and assassinating him.

    “An order mandating the respondents to prosecute all persons suspected or indicted of involvement in aiding Nnamdi Kanu to evade justice.”

    “An order mandating the respondents to investigate and prosecute Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, Femi Fani-Kayode, Tochukwu Uchendu, Emmanuel Shallow Ben, Emmanuel Kanu, Ifeanyi Ejiofor and all those who worked together to propagate and spread the inciting lies and falsehood that Nnamdi Kanu was abducted, arrested, kidnapped, detained, killed and assassinated by the Nigerian military, when indeed they were well aware of Nnamdi Kanu’s whereabouts, because they played roles in helping Nnamdi Kanu disappear from Nigeria.”

  • EFCC’s witness fails to attend court in Fani-Kayode’s trial

    EFCC’s witness fails to attend court in Fani-Kayode’s trial

    Plans by the prosecution to open trail in the alleged N26million fraud case against former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode failed Tuesday as its prosecution failed to turn up in court.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) commenced the case late last year when it filed a five-count charge against Fani-Kayode before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

    The EFCC accused Fani-Kayode of diverting N26m allegedly received from the Office of the National Security Adviser while Sambo Dsuki was in office.

    It also accused him of handing the N26m without going through financial institution as required under the Money Laundering Act.

    When parties got to court Wednesday, everyone expected the prosecution to open trial by calling its first witness, but prosecuting lawyer, Jonson Ojogbane stunned all when he expressed surprise about his witnesses’ absence.

    Ojogbane told that court that he was surprised that his witnesses did not turn up for the day’s proceedings. He said he had expected to meet them in court, but was surprised the witnesses were nowhere to be found.

    He said in view of the development, he was left with no option than to appeal to the court to grant an adjournment to a later date to enable him investigate what went wrong.

    Ojogbane: “we will investigate. I do not want to speculate why they are not here. I hope it is not what I am afraid of. I had expected to meet them in court today.”

    Defence lawyer, Ahmed Raji, who did not object to Ojogbane’s request for adjournment, said the prosecution’s witnesses failure to attend court might have been because the prosecution failed to make the necessary arrangements.

    He urged the prosecution to do all that were necessary to prevent a repeat of similar development at the next adjourned date.

    Trial judge, Justice John Tsoho adjourned to April 7 for the prosecution to open its vase.

     

  • N26m scam: Fani-Kayode seeks out of court settlement

    Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode on Monday, asked the Federal High Court Abuja, to adjourn his case to allow him explore other options of settlement aside from going to trial.

    Counsel to Fani-Kayode, Mr Ameh Raji (SAN) who made the application on his behalf said that since the sum of money involved was only N26 million, he believed that there were other options of settlement.

    Raji added that moreover, he was new on the case and would need some time to go over the facts of the case to enable him defend his client effectively.

    “My Lord, I am just coming into the case and so I crave your indulgence to enable me familiarize myself with the case.

    “Secondly, looking at the facts of the case and the money involved, I believe that there are other options we can explore.

    “The case involves the sum of N26 million and the law allows you to explore the option of plea bargain and so many other options rather than go through trial,” Raji said.

    He said that if the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was amenable to plea bargain, the defence would take the option.

    The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Johnson Ojogbane said he was not opposing the application.

    Ojogbane, however, asked the court to take cognizance of the fact this was the second adjournment at the instance of the defence and asked for a definite date to commence trial.

    The judge, Justice John Tsoho adjourned the matter till March 14 for commencement of trial.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Fani-Kayode was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Tsoho on a fresh five-count charge bordering on money laundering.

    The ex-aviation minister was accused of allegedly collecting N26 million from the Office of the Former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki and using same for media campaign.

    Count two of the charge read that;” You Femi Fani-Kayode, converted N26 million cash paid from the office of the National Security Adviser for the purpose of media campaign when you ought to have reasonably known that the said funds formed part of an unlawful act contrary to section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering Act.”

    Following the argument of his bail application by the counsel who represented him on that day, Mr Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), he was admitted to bail in the sum of N50 million and one surety in like sum.

    NAN also reports that Fani-Kayode is facing another 17 -count charge of money laundering before the Lagos division of the court.

     

  • Court affirms candidacy of Ubah, Oduah, others for 2015 elections

    Court affirms candidacy of Ubah, Oduah, others for 2015 elections

    A Federal High Court in Abuja Friday upheld the candidacy of former Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, Senator Andy Ubah and others for last year’s national and state legislative election in Anambra State.

    Justice Adeniyi Ademola, in a judgment Friday, held that the list of candidates, containing the name of Oduah, Andy Ubah and others, submitted to the Independent National Executive Committee (NEC) of the People’s Democratic Party was the authentic list of candidates.

    The judgment was on a suit by Senator Annie Okonkwo, Chukwunedum Chris Ubah and 42 others, who were listed as candidates in the list submitted to INEC by the Abia State Executive Committee of the PDP.

    The plaintiffs had among others, challenged the decision of INEC to substitute their names earlier published on INEC’s website prior to the election with those contained in the list submitted to it by the party’s NEC.

    They urged the court to void INEC’s decision to replace their names with those of Oduah, Andy Ubah and others.

    In his judgment Friday, Justice Ademola resolved the four issues he identified for determination against the plaintiff.

    The judge faulted the plaintiffs’ contention that INEC having published their names first, it could not replace them with a list of other people without a valid order of court.

    Justice Ademola said the mere publication of the plaintiffs’ names on INEC’s website was without any legal consequences and did not qualify them to be regarded as the authentic candidates of the party.

    “The state Executive of a party or any organ of the party at the state level lacks the power to sponsor candidates. It is only the primary election conducted by the National Executive or their delegates that can validly conduct primary to produce its candidates.

    “The 1st to 44 plaintiffs were not the through candidates of the 17the defendant (PDP), but products of illegally contrived primary by the Anambra PDP, which is a complete illegality,” the judge said.

    Justice Ademola, who referred to the January 29, 2016 judgment and February 24, 2016 ruling of the Supreme Court on similar issues involving parties in the case, held that the apex court’s judgment and ruling were not in favour of the plaintiffs in this case.

    The judge, who also referred to an earlier judgment by the late Justice Evoh Chukwu (also of the Federal High Court, Abuja), said the judgment only upheld the legitimacy of the Ejike Oguebego-led state Executive of the PDP in Anambra.

    Justice Ademola held that the fact that Justice Chukwu’s judgment upheld the legitimacy of Oguebego-state EXCO of the PDP in Anambra State does not confer on it the power to nominate candidates for the party.

    He said political parties, being national organisations, the power to nominate/select candidates for a party resides with its National Executive Council, not the state Executive Council.

    He dismissed the suit, but made no order as to cost.