The Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, has acquitted and discharged former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, of charges related to medical report forgery.
Justice Olubumni Abike-Fadipe, in her ruling, upheld a no-case submission by Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Norrison Quakers.
The judge stated that the prosecution failed to present enough evidence to prove that the former minister was involved in the alleged crime, meaning he had no case to answer.
The court found that the prosecution had not provided key witnesses, such as those who allegedly received money from Fani-Kayode or the lawyer who claimed to have been instructed to submit the forged medical documents to the Federal High Court.
Justice Abike-Fadipe also pointed out that the prosecution’s extrajudicial statements couldn’t be used as evidence to support their case.
“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 evidence of the prosecution witnesses and I cannot 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 defence,” the Judge said.
Fani-Kayode had been facing 12 charges brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly using forged medical reports in 2021 to defend himself in an ongoing trial for a suspected N4.9 billion fraud. However, the court ruled that the EFCC failed to establish a prima facie case against him.
After his acquittal, Fani-Kayode expressed relief, mentioning that after 18 years of legal battles, he was overjoyed to finally be free.
During the trial, the management of Kubwa General Hospital denied issuing the reports, and a prosecution witness claimed to have received money from Fani-Kayode to procure the forged documents.
The former minister, however, denied all allegations.