On February 4, 2025, Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja discharged and acquitted former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode of a 12-count charge related to the procurement of a “fabricated” medical report and the use of a false document.
In her ruling, Justice Abike-Fadipe stated that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) lacked the constitutional authority to prosecute Fani-Kayode for the alleged offence. She further noted that the accusations against him did not constitute an economic crime, and that the evidence and witnesses failed to establish a connection between Fani-Kayode and the charges.
The EFCC had accused Fani-Kayode of enlisting Dr. Ogieva Oziegbe to create a fraudulent medical report, which he allegedly presented in the Federal High Court during his ongoing trial for money laundering before Justice Daniel Osiagor. The commission claimed that on October 11, 2021, in Kubwa, Abuja, Fani-Kayode and Dr. Oziegbe executed a document titled “MEDICAL REPORT ON Olufemi Fani Kayode 60 YEARS/MALE/HOSP. NO.00345,” falsely attributing it to Kubwa General Hospital.
The EFCC argued that the act of procuring and using such a document by deceit violated Section 369 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State (2015). However, Fani-Kayode had pleaded not guilty to all charges.
