The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has adjourned indefinitely the trial of former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode.
Presiding Judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia adjourned the matter indefinitely after Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Festus Keyamo sought the transfer of the money laundering charges to another judge.
The EFCC has accused Mr Fani-Kayode of laundering about N230 million belonging to the Aviation ministry.
Mr Keyamo has been prosecuting the case on behalf of the EFCC since the matter was first filed in 2008.
He told Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia that he wanted the case transferred from her court because she had questioned his chamber’s authority to prosecute the case.
Mr Keyamo said he had written a letter to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta requesting him to take away the case from Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia and re-assign it to another judge.
The lawyer insisted that “the Supreme Court has said it again and again that it is bizarre when a lawyer appears before a court and the judge asks ‘where is your letter?”
Mr Keyamo informed the court of the letter he had written to the Chief Judge of the court after he disclosed that he had received separate letters (of fiat) from the Attorney-General of the Federation and the EFCC, affirming his authority to prosecute the case.
He urged the court to apply her discretion on whether to suspend proceedings in the case pending the “advice of the CJ”.
Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia has refused an application by Mr Fani-Kayode’s counsel, Ifedayo Adedipe, to strike out the case and instead adjourned sine die (indefinitely), to await the CJ’s decision on the request for transfer.
Mr Adedipe had asked the court to strike out the case on the grounds that it would be oppressive for Mr Keyamo to be requesting for transfer of the case.
It would be recalled that Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia had ruled on 25 June barring Vitalis Ahaotu, a lawyer from the law firm of Mr Keyamo from appearing for the prosecution in the matter until a fiat empowering him, his boss or his chambers to prosecute the case was presented to the court.