An ambulance parked outside the Federal High Court in Lagos became the centre of attention on Friday as businessman and social media influencer Afolabi Michael Kazeem, popularly known as KC Luxury, arrived for his court hearing while receiving oxygen.
His condition was so serious that medical personnel said he could not be moved into the courtroom. The development prompted fresh arguments between the defence and prosecution over whether he should be released to obtain specialised medical treatment.
When proceedings resumed, a correctional officer informed the court that Kazeem was critically ill and had been hospitalised. The officer also presented the nurse responsible for his care to explain the defendant’s medical condition.
Bukki Yahya, a nurse with the Police Hospital in Falomo, Lagos, told Justice Musa Kakaki that Kazeem had been admitted to the facility on October 7, 2026, after being diagnosed with asthma and sepsis.
She explained that although Kazeem had been brought to the court premises, he remained inside the ambulance because he was receiving oxygen and could not safely be moved into the courtroom.
The situation raised questions from Kazeem’s lawyer, Emefo Etudo, who challenged the decision to bring his client to court in such a condition.
Etudo questioned why someone whose health was reportedly so fragile had been transported for a hearing instead of being allowed to remain under medical supervision.
After listening to the nurse’s testimony, Justice Kakaki directed that Kazeem should be returned to the hospital.
With his client no longer required to enter the courtroom, Etudo proceeded to argue the bail application he had filed on October 16, 2026.
The defence wants Kazeem released temporarily so he can receive specialised treatment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, commonly known as LUTH.
Etudo told the court that the application was supported by an affidavit of urgency, a 21-paragraph affidavit, a written address and relevant exhibits. He also confirmed that the defence had filed its response to the prosecution’s counter-affidavit on October 22.
But beyond the asthma diagnosis, the lawyer presented a more troubling account of what he said had happened to his client during his movement between medical facilities and correctional custody.
According to Etudo, Kazeem’s health had deteriorated, with the defence pointing to a collapse of the lungs as a major concern. He said the Police Hospital in Falomo had transferred his client to LUTH because it lacked the facilities needed to perform the required surgery.
The lawyer further claimed that Kazeem was subsequently removed from LUTH and taken to a correctional centre on October 13, despite his medical condition.
Etudo said his client’s health worsened during the journey, forcing those transporting him to turn back and return him to the Police Hospital. Kazeem was then admitted to the intensive care unit, according to the defence.
These circumstances formed the basis of the renewed request for medical bail. Etudo maintained that his client’s deteriorating condition required treatment that could not adequately be provided under the circumstances of his custody.
However, the prosecution strongly opposed the request.
Counsel Abu Ibrahim informed the court that the prosecution 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 the court had already considered in its October 2 pronouncement concerning Exhibit AK2. In his view, the proper way to challenge that decision was through an appeal rather than another application seeking similar relief.
The prosecutor also disputed the strength of the medical grounds presented by the defence. He argued that asthma remained the same underlying ailment previously considered by the court, even if the defendant’s condition had since become more severe.
Ibrahim further questioned the absence of a medical document from LUTH establishing that the hospital could not manage Kazeem’s condition. He maintained that the defence had not supplied sufficient evidence to justify releasing the defendant on bail.
The prosecution therefore urged Justice Kakaki to reject the application.
However, Ibrahim acknowledged that the decision rested with the court. He also described Kazeem as a flight risk and asked the judge to impose strict conditions should bail be granted.
Responding to the prosecution, Etudo insisted that the seriousness of his client’s condition was already apparent from the evidence presented, including the nurse’s account of why Kazeem remained inside an oxygen-supported ambulance.
The defence urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms, arguing that Kazeem needed access to appropriate medical care.
Etudo also assured the judge that his client would continue to attend court proceedings if released. He pointed out that Kazeem’s international passport was already in the custody of the authorities.
Despite the arguments from both sides, the court did not deliver an immediate decision.
Justice Kakaki adjourned the ruling on the medical bail application until October 28, 2026.
Kazeem is standing trial alongside Boniface Freeman Ochoche Sule and Ikechukwu Ekugo Patriarch over allegations involving the trafficking of 184.5 kilogrammes of cocaine and money laundering.
For now, the central question remains whether the court will permit Kazeem to leave custody to pursue specialised treatment or uphold the prosecution’s objections to his release.
The answer is expected when the court delivers its ruling on October 28.