Nigeria news : Court declines EFCC’s plea to revoke Femi Fani-Kayode’s bail

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, refused to grant the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s application, seeking the revocation of the bail granted to the former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to revoke the bail it granted the former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode.

DAILY POST had reported that EFCC had alleged that Fani-Kayode diverted N26 million he received from the embattled National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

EFCC’s lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar, asked Justice John Tsoho to grant his plea, noting that Fani-Kayode had continued to be absent in court for his trial lately.

Abubakar also enjoined the court to issue a bench warrant on the defendant and summon his surety to show cause why the bail bond should not be forfeited.

However, Justice John Tsoho ruled that the medical report brought by the defense counsel, Wale Balogun, that Fani-Kayode was indisposed was sufficient to reject the EFCC’s lawyer’s application, Mohammed Abubakar.

The judge also disagreed with Balogun that an application for bail revocation ought to have been made orally, citing the law to back the decision.

He agreed with Abubakar that the defendant had a personal responsibility to his case.

Tsoho said that the reasons given by the defense counsel for the absence of his client on the two previous occasions when the court sat were justifiable.

He adjourned the matter until Feb. 23 and Feb. 24, 2021, to continue the hearing, NAN reports.