Fani-Kayode’s estranged wife to be re-arraigned for alleged attempted murder, false allegations

A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed Friday for the re-arraignment of Precious Chikwendu on allegations bordering on attempted murder of her former husband, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode and children.

Chikwendu, alongside others, will be re-arraigned by the police authorities before Justice Inyang Ekwo on 14-count charge.

Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter shortly after the police prosecutor, John Ijagbemi, applied for the amended charge to be read to defendants for them to take their plea.

Other defendants in the trial include Emmanuel Anakan, Prisca  Chikwendu and Osakwe Azubuike as 1st, 3rd and 4th defendants respectively, while others are said to be at large.

It was gathered that the four defendants were earlier arraigned before the court on Feb. 14 on 13 counts.

According to reports, Fani-Kayode, the former Minister of Aviation, was the nominal complainant in the matter.

But in an amended charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/01/2022 dated and filed by John Ijagbemi on behalf of Commissioner of Police, FCT Command on April 22, the ex-wife was said to have committed attempted culpable homicide on Nov. 24, 2018.

She was alleged to have carried two kitchen knives threatening to kill Fani-Kayode, the children and other occupants of the house at Asokoro within the court jurisdiction.

She was also accused of making false allegations on Nov. 24, 2018 with doctored pictures with intent to deceive members of the public and make them believe that the injuries in the pictures were inflicted on her by her ex-husband.

Besides, Chikwendu was alleged to have “criminally uploaded doctored/photo-shopped pictures” of her biological child, Liam Femi Fani-Kayode, who was four years old, in order to deceive members of the public that the child sustained injury on his forehead.

According to the charge, the offence is punishable under Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act 2015.

The defendants were further alleged to have committed offences bordering on cybercrime, intimidation to kill the former minister by use of Internet.

They were also alleged to have criminally used the internet to send abusive messages with intent to bully, defame and harass her ex-husband.

They were alleged to have fabricated false evidence by deposing to series of affidavits that Chief Fani-Kayode physically and sexually assaulted members of his domestic staff in inhuman conduct by causing same to be electronically published in a national daily.

Chikwendu was also alleged to have, through her Facebook page, referred to Fani-Kayode as “Mr Short Fuse,” on Dec. 7, 2021, among others.