Controversial businessman and social media influencer Afolabi Michael Kazeem, popularly known as KC Luxury, was brought to the Federal High Court in Lagos in an ambulance on Friday as his counsel sought his release on medical grounds.
Kazeem, who is standing trial over alleged cocaine trafficking and money laundering, reportedly required oxygen and could not be moved into the courtroom because of his condition.
A nurse at the Police Hospital, Falomo, Lagos, Bukki Yahya, told Justice Musa Kakaki that Kazeem was critically ill and had been admitted to the hospital on October 7, 2026.
Yahya said the defendant was diagnosed with asthma and sepsis upon admission, adding that he remained inside the ambulance within the court premises because he was receiving oxygen.
“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,” she said.
Following the testimony, Kazeem’s lawyer, Emefo Etudo, questioned the decision to bring his client to court in such a condition.
“If, for instance, the defendant was in the intensive care unit and is like this, why should they bring him to court?” the lawyer asked.
Justice Kakaki subsequently directed that Kazeem be returned to the hospital, stating, “You can take him back to the hospital.”
Despite the development, the defence proceeded with its application for bail, dated October 16, 2026, asking the court to release Kazeem so he could receive specialised medical care at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
Kazeem is being prosecuted alongside Boniface Freeman Ochoche Sule and Ikechukwu Ekugo Patriarch over the alleged trafficking of 184.5 kilogrammes of cocaine and money laundering.
Moving the application, Etudo told the court that the defence had filed an affidavit of urgency, a 21-paragraph affidavit in support, a written address and relevant exhibits.
He added that the defence filed a reply to the prosecution’s counter-affidavit on October 22.
The lawyer argued that Kazeem’s health had deteriorated significantly, claiming that the defendant suffered a collapse of the lungs, as disclosed by the Police Hospital, Falomo.
According to Etudo, the police hospital transferred his client to LUTH because it lacked the facilities required to perform surgery for his condition.
He further alleged that Kazeem was subsequently taken away from LUTH and moved to a correctional centre on October 13, despite his deteriorating health.
The lawyer said his client’s condition worsened while he was being transported to the correctional facility, forcing those accompanying him to return him to the Police Hospital, Falomo, where he was admitted to the intensive care unit.
Etudo urged the court to grant the application, maintaining that Kazeem needed to be released to obtain the specialised treatment his condition required.
The prosecution, however, opposed the request.
Prosecution counsel, Abu Ibrahim, told the court that the state had filed an 11-paragraph counter-affidavit sworn to by Ebuka Okwonkwo on October 22.
Ibrahim argued that the defence was attempting to revisit an issue already addressed by the court in its October 2 pronouncement concerning Exhibit AK2.
He maintained that the appropriate legal step for the defence, if dissatisfied with the earlier decision, was to appeal rather than bring another application seeking to reopen the matter.
The prosecutor also questioned the medical evidence relied upon by the defence, arguing that it did not sufficiently establish grounds for granting bail.
“Your Lordship looked at the application. The ailment is the same. It is the same asthma. But maybe it has become acute; the character and the ailment are the same,” Ibrahim said.
He further argued that the defence had not produced a medical document from LUTH establishing that the hospital was unable to manage Kazeem’s condition.
“They said he was admitted, treated and discharged. We urge your Lordship to dismiss this application,” the prosecutor added.
Although Ibrahim acknowledged that bail was at the court’s discretion, he described Kazeem as a flight risk and urged the judge to impose stringent conditions if the application was granted.
In his response, Etudo urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms, insisting that his client’s condition was evident.
“The condition of the first defendant speaks for itself. We have heard what the prosecution said. We urge this court to grant this application on liberal terms,” he said.
He also assured the court that Kazeem would attend subsequent hearings if released, noting that his international passport was already in the custody of the authorities.
Justice Kakaki adjourned ruling on the bail application until October 28, 2026.
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