Money Laundering Trial: Femi Fani-Kayode's bail might be revoked, as one of his sureties apply to withdraw

 

Wale Ajisebutu, one of the two persons who stood as sureties for Femi Fani-Kayode in the fulfilment of the bail conditions granted him by Justice Ramat Mohammed in January 2009 has written to the Federal High Court in Lagos seeking to withdraw as a surety. 

 

The surety said he was withdrawing because he has an urgent need for the documents of the landed property which he deposited in the court’s custody. 

 

His application, which was listed for hearing before Justice Rita Ofili- Ajumogobi yesterday was however not taken as it was leant that Fani-Kayode had written to the court seeking for an adjournment.

Further proceeding in Fani-Kayode’s trial had been adjourned till March 26.

 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had charged the ex-minister with 40 counts of money laundering.

 

The anti-graft agency alleged that as Minister of Culture and Tourism and later the Minister of Aviation, Fani-Kayode severally dealt in cash sums above N500, 000 without going through any financial institution.

 

The alleged offence was said to have contravened sections 15(1) (a) (b) (c) (d) and 15 (2) (a) (b) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2004.

 

But Ofili-Ajumogobia, had on November 17, 2014 dismissed 38 of the counts for failure of the EFCC to prove the particulars of the offence.

 

Fani-Kayode, who is currently the Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Presidential Campaign Organisation, had been canvassing arguments to exonerate himself of the remaining two counts.