ABUJA — An Abuja Chief Magistrate Court sitting at Karu, on Wednesday, summoned Ms. Precious Chikwendu, the estranged wife of the former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode over her alleged complicity in the falsification of court documents.
Police had in a First Information Report, FIR, it filed before the court, alleged that the purpose for the falsification was to malign the erstwhile Minister.
Magistrate Elizabeth Woni issued the summon shortly before the arraignment of one Emmanuel Anakam, whom the Police said had in reports that were published in the media, alleged that Fani-Kayode was engaged in domestic violence, especially against his domestic aides.
Police said it arrested Anakam over such unsubstantiated allegation, while five others, including estranged wife of the former Minister and her sister identified as Prisca, are still at large.
Meanwhile, when the FIR was read to Anakan on Wednesday, he pleaded not guilty to the allegation.
His lawyer, Mr. Emmanuel Okewu subsequently made an oral application for his release on bail pending the hearing and determination of the case.
Though the bail application was opposed by the Prosecution counsel, John Ijagbemi, who expressed fear that the Defendant could excape and not make himself available for trial, Magistrate Woni, in her ruling, said she was minded to accede to the bail request.
Stressing that the charge contained bailable offence, Magistrate Woni, granted bail to the Defendant in the sum of N1.5million with 2 sureties in like sum.
The court held that the sureties must be reasonable Nigerians who must be residents within the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
It directed the sureties to produce proof of their payment of utility bill or proof of their rent payment.
It further directed the sureties to adduce a proof that they are gainfully employed, and also be ready to sign a bail bond form.
Following an application by the Prosecution, who alleged that Chikwendu and others listed in the charge have been evasive, the court issued a summon, directing them to appear on the next adjourned date.
The matter was later adjourned till November 5.
It will be recalled that Chikwendu had earlier gone before the Federal High Court in Abuja to secure a restraining order against the ex-Minister and Police.
In the suit she filed through her team of lawyers led by Mr. Abdul-Aziz Jimoh, she also cited the Inspector General of Police, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Force CID, Commissioner of Police FCT, and the OC Legal (CID) FCT Command, CSP James Idachaba, as Respondents in the matter.
She prayed the court to restrain her former husband from using the other Respondents to intimidate or harass her in any form whatsoever, pending the hearing and determination of an earlier suit marked No CV/372/2021, which she filed to take custody of four children she had for the former Minister.
Aside from seeking the enforcement of her fundamental rights, the Applicant, equally prayed the court to award her the sum of N800million, to be paid by the Respondents, jointly and severally.
Chikwendu told the court that she is apprehensive of an imminent violation of her fundamental rights in actualization of threats to her life by the erstwhile Minister and in the face of refusal of the 1st to the 3rd Respondents (IGP, DIG Force CID and CP FCT) to investigate her genuine petitions of threat to life against the 5th respondent (Fani-Kayode).
More so, she prayed the court to declare that she is not bound to honor the invitation of the 1st to 4th Respondents in relation to a purported conspiracy and forgery of court records during the pendency of the suit between her and the 5th Respondent.
The High Court is yet to fix a date for hearing of her suit marked FHC/ABJ/08/428/2021.
Leave a Reply