Afolabi Kazeem seeks judge recusal in cocaine trafficking trial

Afolabi Kazeem, a businessman and social media influencer known as KC Luxury, has requested that Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court in Lagos recuse himself from his ongoing trial. Kazeem is facing charges related to the alleged trafficking of 184.5 kilograms of cocaine and money laundering.

Through his counsel, Chief Emefo Etudo, the defense cited several irregularities, including the alleged disappearance of a reply affidavit and the failure of court records to reflect a ruling made on October 28, 2026, regarding a bail application. The defense expressed concern that the judge’s failure to sign the ruling could prejudice Kazeem’s right to appeal.

The request for recusal follows a recent decision by Justice Kakaki to deny Kazeem bail on medical grounds, stating that the defendant had not provided sufficient evidence of special circumstances to justify release. The defense also criticized the Federal High Court for inadequate recording facilities, arguing that the lack of verbatim equipment undermines the accuracy of proceedings.