FFK, Precious Chiwendu affirm reconciliation publicly as court acquits him of forgery charges

Admin I Tuesday, February 04, 2025

 

IKEJA, LAGOS – Former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode for the first time publicly acknowledged that all is now well with him and his pretty wife and former beauty queen, Precious Chiwendu.

They had quarreled publicly, with his pretty wife accusing him of assault, forcing her to file for divorce. But that is now in the past.

This is the first time that FFK will be addressing the press with his wife, affirming her to be a good wife who has withered the storm with him up to this moment after the misunderstanding.

Fani-Kayode spoke to the press shortly after he was acquitted of all charges and discharged by Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of a Domestic and Special Offence Court in Ikeja, Lagos in a forgery case instituted against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

While delivering ruling on the no case submission filed by Fani-Kayode’s Counsel, Mr Wale Balogun (SAN),  the judge held that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendant.

Abike-Fadipe said the prosecution failed to establish a link between the defendant and the offences charged as a matter of fact to enable the court to determine whether or not the prosecution has established a prima facie case against him.

She said that the prosecution failed to present the defendant’s associates who allegedly collected money from him or the lawyer who allegedly stated that the defendant had instructed his law firm to take the medical reports to the Federal High Court.

The judge said: “The extrajudicial statements which remain, and which are intended as evidence, cannot be used for any purpose other than to contradict the person who made the statement when he is in the witness box.

“I have carefully studied the evidences of the prosecution witnesses and I can not find where the defendant committed the offences being alleged.

“The prosecution has failed to establish a prima facie case which would require the defendant to open his defense.

“As to the issue of costs, the defendant is at liberty to file an action report and do so in private.”

The judge consequently discharged and acquitted the defendant of the alleged offences.

EFCC had on Nov.11 2021 charged Fani-Kayode on a 12-count charge of procuring and execution of documents by false pretences, use of false documents, fabrication of evidence and use of fabricated evidence.

Prosecution had called seven witnesses to testified against the former minister and closed its case.

Fani had on Dec.7 2024 filed a no case submission and urged that the prosecution had failed in establishing the charge against him.

In the same vein, a Federal High Court in Abuja had on Jan. 15 discharged the former minister of the three-count charge of money laundering leveled against him by EFCC.

Justice John Tsoho in his ruling, held that EFCC failed woefully in proving the charge against Fani-Kayode.

Tsoho held that the court’s decision was based on the prosecution’s failure to provide sufficient evidence linking Fani-Kayode to the alleged offenses.

He had said: “The prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendant and therefore, the no-case submission was upheld.

“The prosecution presented three witnesses and tendered exhibits to support their case. However, this court finds that the evidence presented was inconsistent, contradictory, and unreliable.

“The evidence of PW3 (Mohammed Goji) left more questions than answers and was not conclusive.

“PW1’s (Victor Ehabhi) evidence under cross-examination showed fundamental inconsistencies and PW2 (Francis Abu) did not link the defendant to the charges.”

The ruling delivered by Justice Tsoho reminiscent of a similar case in 2015, where Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia discharged and acquitted Fani-Kayode of money laundering charges.

Fani-Kayode’s ordeal began in 2016 when he was initially arraigned by EFCC on a 6-count charge, which was later amended to 3 counts in 2023.

EFCC alleged that Fani-Kayode received and used N26 million in 2014, which was purportedly for a media campaign on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the office of the President.

This ruling is a significant victory for Fani-Kayode, who has maintained his innocence throughout the trial. His legal team argued that the charges were baseless and politically motivated.