A Federal High Court in Lagos today fixed Thursday, March 6, for the re-arraignment of former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode.
The former minister is standing trial on charges of money laundering.
The case which was adjourned to March 5, for re-arraignment of Mr. Fani Kayode was on Wednesday stalled.
Though no reason was given for the adjournment in open court, journalists gathered that it may have been at the instance of the prosecution.
At the last sitting of the court on Feb. 10, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia while ruling on the competence of the charge against the former aviation minister had ordered his re-arraignment.
The ruling was sequel to an objection raised by the defence counsel, Mr Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), who challenged the validity of the amended 40-count charge preferred against his client.
The former minister is facing an amended 40 count charge of laundering about N100m levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
It would be recalled that Fani-Kayode was first arraigned sometime in December 2008 before Justice Ramat Mohammed on a 47-count charge.
He had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of N200 Million with two sureties in like sum.
He was again re-arraigned before Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako, after the transfer of Mohammed.
Justice Ajumogobia is the third judge to hear the case in the last five years, and the charge has now been amended to 40-counts after the EFCC dropped seven.
In the charge, the former minister was alleged to have conducted transactions with funds exceeding N500, 000 without going through a financial institution.
He was also alleged to have accepted cash payments to the tune of about N100million, while he held sway as minister of aviation and minister of culture and tourism respectively.
The offence is said to contravene the provisions of Sections 15(1) (a) (b) (c) (d) and 15 (2) (a) (b) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2004.
