• As Court delivers verdict June 29

From Godwin Tsa, Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, told a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, how the sum of N800 million was paid into the account of detained former Minister of Aviation and Special Adviser on Public Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Femi-Fani Kayode, by a private company, Join Trust Dimensions.
The company, according to the commission, belonged to a former Executive Chairman of Kagarko Local Government area of Kaduna State, Yusuf Danjuma Akuso.
It further disclosed that another payment of N26 million was paid to Fani Kayode from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki.
The money, according to investigation by Special Task Force (STF) of the anti-graft agency, was received and signed by Victor Ehiabhi on his behalf.
The revelations came just as Fani- Kayode accused the commission of demanding the sum of $1million from him before he could be released from custody.
This was revealed at the hearing of the N500 million suit filed by Chief Femi-Fani Kayode against EFCC as damages over alleged illegal arrest and continued detention.
The anti-agency said Fani-Kayode is being investigated for fresh allegation leveled against him by its Special Task Force (STF), outside the case of the N800m which the former Minister of Aviation allegedly received as campaign fund from the $2.1billion meant for procurement of arms, hence, his continued detention and relocation from Abuja to Lagos.
Counsel for EFCC, Mr. Salisu Majidadi, appeared before Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, on behalf of the commission to oppose a fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed by Fani-Kayode, seeking an order releasing him from the custody of the anti-graft agency.
But Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), who earlier argued his client’s suit, insisted that the commission, having failed to present the fresh petition as exhibit before the court, showed there was no proof that there was any ongoing investigation of his client.
In his application for the enforcement of his fundamental human rights, Fani-Kayode, who is pressing for his release from custody, urged EFCC to charge him to court if he committed an offence.
Moving the application yesterday, his counsel, Ifadayo Adedipe (SAN), argued that, “the personal liberty of the applicant is not absolute, but can be curtailed upon reasonable suspicion”, citing section 35 (1) (c) of the 1999 constitution.
He narrated how his client has been in incarceration in the hands of EFCC even after he was granted an administrative bail by the commission.
In the originating motion, the applicant asked the court for “a declaration that the arrest of the applicant, Chief Femi Fani Kayode, at about 10am on Monday, May 19, 2016, upon honouring the respondent’s invitation by the officers, servants, agents, privies of the respondent, constitutes a violation of the applicant’s fundamental rights guaranteed under sections 33, 34, 35, 37 and 41 of the 1999 constitution and Articles 4, 5, 6, and 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Right (ratification and enforcement) Act Cap 10 Laws of the federation of Nigeria 1990 and is, therefore, illegal and unconstitutional.
The judge after hearing both sides on yesterday fixed June 29 for judgment in the suit.