BY Bolanle Olabimtan
Bassey Amah, head of medical records at the Kubwa General Hospital, says Femi Fani-Kayode, former minister of aviation, does not have medical records at the hospital.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a 12-count charge filed before the court, accused Fani-Kayode of presenting a false medical report before a federal high court in Ikoyi.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the former aviation minister hired one Ogieva Oziegbe to produce the alleged false medical report.
Testifying before the court at the commencement of trial on Wednesday, Amah said his duty was to collect vital medical information of patients.
“Mr Femi is not our patient and he does not have any medical record with us. The doctor that signed the report is not our doctor,” he said.
“In fact, we do not have any Dr Tochukwu Eze at our hospital.”
Amah said upon receiving a letter dated October 3, 2021 from the EFCC to investigate the defendant, the hospital responded 10 days later.
“Kubwa General Hospital received a letter dated October 3, 2021, from EFCC to investigate the defendant, that he did not have a medical record with the hospital,” he said.
“We sent a letter back with evidence on October 13, 2021 to EFCC, that the defendant was never our patient.
“The evidence tendered emanated from Kubwa General Hospital.”
However, Norrison Quakers, defence counsel, objected to the tendering of the document.
“My lord, I cannot see the name of the witness on the documents in reference to sections 102 and 104 of the Evidence Act,” he said.
“I, therefore, object to the evidence tendered, because the witness is not the maker.”
Responding, Rotimi Oyedepo, EFCC counsel, said the documents to be tendered are public documents.
“The documents are originals, and the witness is the maker of the documents,” he said.
“I refer your lordship to section 102(3) of the Evidence Act which says an officer or official on duty is authorised to submit documents.”
The documents were admitted in evidence by Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe, the presiding judge, who stated that the authors of the document did not need to be in court for the documents to be acceptable.
She noted that the witness testified that he was the head of medical records of Kubwa General Hospital, and that the letter was issued by the hospital’s medical director.
“In this case, I have certified that the witness in the box is competent to give evidence in court. I, therefore, admit the documents in evidence,” Abike-Fadipe said.
The matter was adjourned till February 25 for continuation of trial.
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