The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is set to resume the trial of former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose,on Friday (Today).
According to The PUNCH, Fayose and his firm Spotless Investment Limited are being prosecuted by the EFCC for allegedly laundering N6.9 billion.
It was reported that a former EFCC operative, Mr. Abubakar Madaki, testified in a Federal High Court in Lagos, detailing how former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, allegedly delivered N1,219,000,000 in cash to Fayose.
Continuing his testimony today, as the 13th Prosecution Witness led by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, EFCC operative Abubakar Madaki revealed that during the period from June 17th to 27th, 2014, a substantial amount of N150 million in cash was deposited into the bank account of the 2nd Defendant, Spotless Investment Limited, by Biodun Agbele, an aide to the former Ekiti governor, Ayodele Fayose.
Madaki also stated that part of the money was used by the former Ekiti State governor to purchase a property in Abuja worth N270 million and to deposit N100 million into a fixed account.
The witness went on to inform the court that on August 24, 2016, a sum of N168 million was deposited into Spotless Investment Limited’s bank account.
He clarified that this money came from the impress accounts in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and was part of funds controlled by the former National Security Adviser , Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
He further emphasized that the 1st Defendant, Fayose’s claim that the N1,219,000,000 received from the former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, was campaign funds from his political party, the People’s Democratic Party, was thoroughly investigated.
He said ” In our investigation, we contacted the People’s Democratic Party secretariat in Abuja. The party denied receiving any money from the National Security Adviser, or the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The party also said it did not give any campaign money to Senator Musiliu Obanikoro to give to the first defendant.
“So the funds moved from Diamond Bank to Zenith Bank were the funds that came from the impress account which is under the control of the office of the National Security Adviser to President Goodluck, Jonathan, Colonel Sambo Dasuki.
He stated that an opportunity was extended to the first Defendant and his associate, Abiodun Agbele, to provide a credible explanation for the substantial amount of money deposited into the 2nd Defendant’s account, but they failed to provide one.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke has adjourned the case to November 24 for the continuation of the trial.
Fayose and his company faced re-arraignment before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke on charges of alleged money laundering and failure to declare assets.
This re-arraignment followed their initial appearance before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun on October 22, 2018.
The EFCC re-arraigned Fayose and Spotless Investment Limited on an 11-count charge relating to money laundering and embezzlement amounting to N6.9 billion (Six Billion Nine Hundred Million Naira).
In the revised charges, Fayose and Abiodun Agbele, who is separately facing trial for alleged money laundering, were accused of taking possession of N1.219 billion on June 17, 2014, for the purpose of funding Fayose’s 2014 gubernatorial campaign in Ekiti State. Their actions were alleged to constitute criminal breach of trust, theft, and misappropriation of public funds.
Furthermore, on the same date in 2014, they were accused of receiving $5 million from Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, who was serving as the Minister of State for Defence, without going through legitimate financial institutions.
These alleged offenses are in violation of sections 15 (2)(d), 1, and 16 (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended, and are punishable under Section 15 (3)(4) and 16 (2)(b) of the same Act.
Fayose denied these allegations and entered a plea of not guilty to all 11 counts of charges.
