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March 11, 2023
Akinlayo was taken into custody hours after he was issued a Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released the winner of the February 25, 2023 House of Representatives election in the Ekiti North Federal Constituency (II), Akinlayo Davidson Kolawole.
An official of the commission told SaharaReporters that the All Progressives Congress member was released on Friday after the intervention of Ekiti Governor, Abiodun Abayomi Oyebanji and his successor, Kayode Fayemi.
“Yes, it’s is confirmed, he was released on Friday evening after your story. It took the intervention of former Governor Fayemi and the current Governor of his state, Abiodun Oyebanji for him to be released,” a source at the anti-graft agency said.
SaharaReporters had reported that Akinlayo was taken into custody hours after he was issued a Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu had on Wednesday presented the certificates to the members-elect at the National Collation Centre in Abuja.
The lawmaker-elect was accused of swindling an oil magnate, Johnson Akinnawonu, who is also a director in JAAC Nig. Ltd. to the tune of N3billion.
“The election winner of the Ekiti North Federal Consituency II, Moba and Ilejemeje axis, Akinlayo Davidson Kolawole has been arrested by EFCC operatives,” a source had told SaharaReporters.
“He was involved in a N3billion fraud and has been dodging the EFCC officials but he was picked by the operatives two days ago when he went to collect his certificate of return in Abuja.
“Akinlayo in 2022 threatened and arrested a journalist for publishing the news of how he swindled one Mr. Akinnawonu of up to N3 billion. He is now in EFCC's net as well.”
SaharaReporters had reported how Akinlayo, and his lawyer, one Rotimi Olorunfemi, the then chairman of the Akure branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) allegedly defrauded a Port Harcourt-based oil magnate, Akinnawonu and JAAC Nig. Ltd to the tune of N3 billion on the pretext of helping him to acquire a property in the Gwarinpa area of Abuja but failed to deliver.
A petition dated March 15, 2022, addressed to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by Johnson's lawyer, Barr. Adejumola Ajayi and obtained by SaharaReporters titled "Criminal Conversion and Obtaining of N1.9billion Under False Pretence” revealed that the fraudulent acts occurred between 2013 and 2015.
The petition read in part, "That sometime between 2013 and 2015 the duo of Messrs. Akinlayo Davidson Kolawole and Rotimi Olorunfemi (a purported estate Manager and his Solicitor) with their office address at Akure made representation to our clients to procure some real estate property for them at Abuja and Lagos.
“Property tagged Tantaliser building at Aminu Kano Crescent, off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent Wuse 11 Abuja.
“Property tagged multiple three (3) storey building of former Federal government guest houses covering about 10,000 Square metres of land at Ahmadu Bello Way in Lagos.
“Property formerly occupied by NEPA at Kings Way Road Lagos on about 4000 square metres of land which sales obtained from our clients amounted to N1,860,000,000 (One billion, Eight Hundred and Sixty Million Naira).
"That within same period Akinlayo Davidson Kolawole obtained an additional sum of N46,000,000 (Forty-Six Million Naira) from our clients to convert their Opebi residential building to commercial building and as well collected rent of N10,400,000 (Ten Million and Four Hundred Thousand Naira) rent from our client's tenants occupying their property at Plot 176 Herbert Macauley Road without performance and account."
It was also gathered that Akinnawonu, who doubles as a director in JAAC Nig. Ltd. is now in critical health condition and has been flown to Canada following the shock and trauma he had suffered.
Findings by SaharaReporters revealed that Olorunfemi has since confessed to the crime while the APC House of Reps member-elect through his lawyer had agreed in a letter addressed to Akinnawonu to refund the sum of N830,000,000 (Eight Hundred and Thirty Million Naira) before June 30, 2022.
But Akinlayo refused to honour the agreement and pay up.