A Lagos Special Offences Court has discharged and acquitted former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, of forgery charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe ruled in favor of Fani-Kayode’s no-case submission, stating that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against him.
The judge noted that there was no direct evidence linking the defendant to the alleged offences and that key witnesses who could have supported the prosecution’s case were not presented.
“The prosecution failed to establish a connection between the defendant and the alleged forgery. There is no basis for him to enter a defense,” the judge ruled.
Fani-Kayode was initially arraigned on November 11, 2021, on a 12-count charge related to forgery, false documents, and fabrication of evidence.
The EFCC called seven witnesses before closing its case.
However, in December 2024, the former minister filed a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution had not proven its allegations.
This ruling follows a similar verdict delivered by Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on January 15, 2025, where Fani-Kayode was cleared of a three-count money laundering charge.
Justice Tsoho ruled that the prosecution failed to provide concrete evidence linking him to the crime, citing contradictions in witness testimonies.
This is not the first time Fani-Kayode has been acquitted in a high-profile case.
In 2015, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia also cleared him of money laundering charges.
