His arraignment came after the trial judge, Justice OluwaBunmi Abike-Fadipe ruled that the defendant must enter a plea before the court may consider his application challenging the court’s authority to prosecute him for suspected forgery.

The defendant was then charged with forgery and falsification of documents on a 12-count complaint presented by the Commission.

One of the counts against thẹ defendant stated: “That You Femi Fani-Kayode on or about the 23rd day of March 2021 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court by fraudulent representation procured one Dr. Ogieva Oziegbe to execute a document titled “To Whom It May Concern RE: Femi Fani-Kayode Male/60 years Hospital: No. 32145 Dated 23rd March 2021 and purported same to have been issued by Kubwa General Hospital.”

Fani-Kayode pleaded not guilty to all 12 counts.

His counsel, Wale Balogun, in an oral application, pleaded with the court to grant his client bail since the alleged offenses were bailable.

Balogun argued that every accused person is presumed innocent under the law until proven guilty.

According to him, the defendant is on trial at the Federal High Court Lagos before Justice Osiagu in FHC/L/251c/ 2016 and has met all the conditions precedent for bail and has not defaulted to date, adding that he had deposited his international passport with the court since 2016 in a matter in which he was charged by the EFCC.

He stated that the defendant is also standing trial before Justice Soho in FHC/ADJ/CR/140/2016 between FRN VS Femi Fani-Kayode.

He said that the defendant has been granted bail and has regularly attended proceedings in the last five years.

He said the defendant submitted himself when he was invited by the EFCC on November 23, 2021, was interviewed, and granted administrative bail on self-recognition.

“He was invited to report on 30/11/2021 by the EFCC and was served the court charges. He was released to me after I signed an undertaking to produce him in court for arraignment.

“On the 10th of December, we were in court before it was rescheduled for December 14, 2021. The defendant reported before your lordship and today he has also reported”, he said.

He argued that the offenses carry a maximum sentence of 3 to 7 years and that the defendant is allowed to continue on bail in the same condition and sureties with landed properties in Lagos or the alternative release the defendant to him on bail.

“I undertake that he will attend proceedings. Besides, he is a two-time minister and over 61 years. He is by no means a flight risk,” he said.

Subsequently, Justice Abike-Fadipe granted him bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety in the same amount.

The case has been rescheduled for trial on February 23, 25, and 28, 2022.