Femi Fani-Kayode seeks Out of Court Settlement with EFCC

Former Aviation Minister and Spokesperson for Goodluck Jonathan during 2015  elections, Femi Fani-Kayode, has asked the Federal High Court Abuja to adjourn his case as he looks to explore other options of settlement aside from going to trial.

Fani-Kayode, through his lawyer, Ameh Raji (SAN), appealed to the court that since the sum of money involved was only N26 million, he believed that there were other options of settlement.

Mr. Raji added that the request was a reasonable one seeing as he was new on the case and would need some time to go over the facts of the case to enable him defend his client effectively, Vanguard writes

“My Lord, I am just coming into the case and so I crave your indulgence to enable me familiarize myself with the case,” he said.

“Secondly, looking at the facts of the case and the money involved, I believe that there are other options we can explore.

“The case involves the sum of N26 million and the law allows you to explore the option of plea bargain and so many other options rather than go through trial.”

A deal could be in the offing as counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Johnson Ojogbane said he was not opposing the application.

The presiding judge, John Tsoho, adjourned the matter till March 14 for commencement of trial following a plea by Ojogbane.

Mr. Fani-Kayode was the Director of Media and Publicity in the campaign team of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and has been arraigned by the EFCC on a fresh five-count charge bordering on money laundering.

He’s been accused of allegedly collecting N26 million from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, and using same for media campaign.

The former minister, who is a fierce critic of the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government,  is facing another 17 -count charge of money laundering before the Lagos division of the court.