The coast is now clear for the trial of the former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode to commence on 10 October, 2012 as a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos bluntly refused to stay proceedings in his trial.
When the case was mentioned at the court this morning, Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Chris Uche, SAN, urged the court to grant him a fairly long adjournment pending the determination of an appeal filed at the Supreme Court in respect of admissibility of a printout document to support the argument that there is an appeal before the Supreme Court.
Subsequently, a certified true copy of the appeal before the Supreme Court was filed before the court.
Opposing the application for stay of proceedings, Barrister Nelson Okedinachi told the court that what the defendant filed at the Supreme Court was an academic exercise which had been overtaken by event.
He said the trial of the former Aviation minister is starting afresh.
Okedinachi contended that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Act does not provide for stay of proceedings.
Consequently, Justice Binta Muritala Nyako, while refusing to stay proceedings, adjourned till 10 October, 2012 for the trial of the former minister to commence.
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