The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has accused a former minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, of dodging court appearances with fake health reports.
The former Minister of Aviation has been on trial since 2016 on a 17-count charge bordering on money laundering of over N4 billion.
With at least five recorded absences over the years, he has stalled the case on numerous occasions, claiming health issues, and was fined N200,000 when he failed to show up for an October hearing.
Prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, told the court when the case resumed on Tuesday, Wednesday 30, 2021 that EFCC agents are investigating fresh fraud allegations against the defendant.
He said the investigations have shown that several letters Fani-Kayode claimed to have obtained from Kubwa General Hospital and presented to court at previous sittings as an excuse for his absence showed that they were all fake.
The 61-year-old was first questioned last week over what was reported to be allegations of fraud.
He was with the agency for over six hours before he was granted bail on self-recognisance.
The politician immediately posted on Twitter at the time that he wasn’t arrested but invited for a ‘friendly chat’.
He returned to the agency’s office on Tuesday and was similarly questioned for hours until he was released in the evening.
“Once again I was invited to the EFCC today. Once again, despite media reports, I was NOT arrested but invited. I got there at 11:00 am and I have just been released,” he posted on his Twitter account late on Tuesday.
The case, which has passed through three judges, was on Tuesday adjourned till January 24, 2022.
