An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s witness, Habibah Awalu has told a Special Offences Court in Ikeja that former Minster of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode paid N320,000 (three hundred and twenty thousand naira) to secure the alleged forged medical records.
Habibah Awalu who was led in evidence-in-chief by the anti-graft lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, at the resumption of trial, affirmed that the defendant paid the money to her in two tranches.
According to her, she received the N320,000 (three hundred and twenty thousand naira) in two tranches, firstly it was N120,000 cash and later N200,000 cash from one Mr. Mark who is a staff of the defendant at his Abuja residence in Aso Drive.
Thereafter, a mildrama ensued in the court when lead prosection counsel Oyedepo asked the witness: “If you see the said ‘Mr. Mark’ can you identify him?”
The witness answered positive, as Oyedepo further asked her to identify Mr. Mark in the court.
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In her response, she affirmed to recognise the said Mr Mark and that Mr. Mark is present in courtroom.
But this line of prosecution was vehemently opposed to by defendant counsel Norrison Quacker, SAN, saying there was no need for prosection to be doing the identification.
This development led to hot argument between the two counsels, but the court ruled in favour of the prosecutor.
Subsequently, the witness in compliance with the ruling of the court pointed at one of Fani-kayode’s followers in court who put on white native attire as the said ‘Mr. Mark,’ who allegedly procured the controversial medical reports which cost N320,000.
The witness was further asked to identified an exhibit, if it’s the medical report she assisted the defendant to secure and she acknowledged that the exhibit P4a is a medical report she procured for the defendant.
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In her evidence she said that sometimes in 2019 Femi Fani-Kayode asked her to help in obtaining a medical report.
The second prosecutor witness said that she drafted out Fani-Kayode instructions using a pen and paper which she later forwarded to a friend to secure a medical report from Kubwa General Hospital.
Mr Oyedepo however pleads for an adjournment for him to tender the phone of which the witness used in reaching out to the defendant saying that he forgot the phone at EFCC office
Justice Fadipe Abike therefore grants the request of the witness and adjourned the case to the 8th and 29th of April for continuation of trial.
