A Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed November 17 for ruling on a no-case submission filed by a former Minister of Aviation, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode.
Mr. Fani-Kayode is standing trial on an amended 40-count charge of money laundering.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Monday, the defence counsel, Ifedayo Adedipe SAN, informed the court of an application for a no-case submission filed on behalf of the accused.
Adopting his submission, the defence counsel urged the court to discharge the accused of all 40 counts, on the ground that no case has been made out against him to warrant him to enter a defence.
”By way of emphasis, I wish to make one or two points before I take my seat.
?The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges against him before this court, and by so doing, he has joined issues with the prosecution, leaving them to prove their case beyond doubt.
?The prosecution called six witnesses, and of all these witnesses, none of them came forward to give any evidence that they had any financial transaction with the accused.
?Pw3, a Superintendent of Police, told this court that nobody came forward to say that he gave any cash to the accused.
?Pw5, a former aide of the accused, also gave evidence that it was one Kolade who gave him the money he lodged into the account of the accused and this does not prove anything against the accused,? Adedipe said.
However, the prosecutor, Festus Keyamo, urged the court to uphold his written submissions in opposition to the no case submission, and call on the accused to enter his defence.
?Without wasting the time of this court, I will only correct one notion, and that is that the prosecution?s case does not concern lodgments, but transactions which took place before the lodgments.
?Transactions which are done without going through financial institutions, is what comes under the definition of money laundering,? he said.
He, therefore, urged the court to uphold the objection of the prosecution, and call on the accused to enter his defence.
After listening to the submissions of counsel, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, adjourned the case till Nov. 17, for ruling.
Fani-Kayode is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
