There was drama at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday when businessman and social media influencer, Afolabi Michael Kazeem, popularly known as KC Luxury, was brought to court in an ambulance while receiving oxygen.
The development forced Justice Musa Kakaki to order that he be returned to the hospital immediately.
A nurse attending to the defendant, Bukki Yahya of the Police Hospital, Falomo, told the court that Kazeem was critically ill and could not be moved into the courtroom.
Yahya said Kazeem was admitted on October 7 after being diagnosed with asthma and sepsis and had remained in the hospital since.
“My Lord, I am Bukki Yahya, the nurse attending to the patient, Afolabi. He was diagnosed with asthma and sepsis when he was brought to the Police Hospital, Falomo. He is inside the ambulance in the court premises, but we can’t move him here because he is with oxygen,” she told the court.
She testified after a correctional officer informed the court that the defendant was critically ill and had been hospitalised.
Following her testimony, defence counsel, Chief Emefo Etudo, queried why his client was brought to court in such condition.
“If, for instance, the defendant was in the intensive care unit and is like this, why should they bring him to court?” Etudo asked.
Justice Kakaki then directed: “You can take him back to the hospital.”
Defence Seeks Bail For Treatment At LUTH
The incident occurred as the defence moved a fresh bail application seeking Kazeem’s release to obtain specialised medical treatment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH.
Arguing the application, Etudo said his client’s condition had deteriorated, alleging he had suffered a lung collapse and needed specialist surgical attention.
He said the Police Hospital had referred Kazeem to LUTH because it lacked facilities to manage his condition, but he was withdrawn from LUTH and taken to a correctional centre on October 13 despite his health.
According to him, Kazeem’s health worsened while being conveyed to the correctional facility, forcing officials to return him to the Police Hospital where he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.
Prosecution Opposes Bail, Says He Is Flight Risk
The prosecution opposed the fresh bail application. Counsel, Abu Ibrahim, argued that the medical issues raised had been substantially considered by the court in an earlier ruling.
Ibrahim said the defendant’s underlying ailment remained asthma, though it might have become more acute, and faulted the defence for failing to provide medical documentation from LUTH showing it could not manage his condition.
He urged the court to dismiss the application, describing Kazeem as a flight risk, but asked the court to impose stringent conditions if bail was granted.
In response, Etudo urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms, assuring that his client would attend trial and that his international passport was already in custody of authorities.
Justice Kakaki adjourned ruling on the bail application till October 28.
Kazeem is standing trial alongside Boniface Freeman Ochoche Sule and Ikechukwu Ekugo Patriarch on a 22-count charge bordering on alleged conspiracy to export 184.5 kilogrammes of cocaine to the United Kingdom and money laundering. The defendants have pleaded not guilty.
