Fayose is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) over N6.9billion fraud and money laundering charges.
The trial of former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, will now
resume on October 21 before a Federal High Court in Lagos.
Fayose is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) over N6.9billion fraud and money laundering charges.
He was first arraigned on October 22, 2018, before Justice Mojisola
Olatotegun, alongside a company, Spotless Investment Ltd, on 11 counts
bordering on fraud and money laundering offences.
He had pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail on
October 24, 2018, in the sum of N50 million with sureties in like sum.
The defendant was subsequently re-arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu
Aneke, on July 2.
He had also pleaded not guilty to the charges and was allowed to
continue on the earlier bail granted.
After his re-arraignment, Justice Aneke had granted leave for the
defendant to travel abroad for medicals.
The court had, however, ordered that his International passport be
returned to the court, on or before September 16.
Aneke had then adjourned the case until September 16, 17, 18, and 19
and also to October 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 for the continuation of
trial.
Meanwhile, the case will now come up on October 21, as Judges are away
for the annual judges' conference, which takes place after the annual
long vacation of the court.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that during the pendency of the charge
before Justice Olatoregun, EFCC had opened the trial on November 19,
2018, and had so far called 13 witnesses out of the15 listed.
However, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice Adamu
Abdu-Kafarati had transferred the case from Olatoregun to Aneke,
following a petition by the EFCC.
During the trial before Olatoregun. the prosecution had called
witnesses, from several commercial banks, as well as a former Minister
of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro.
According to the charge, on June 17, 2014, Fayose and one Abiodun
Agbele were said to have taken possession of the sum of N1.2 billion,
for purposes of funding his gubernatorial election campaign in Ekiti,
which sum they reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime
proceeds.
Fayose was alleged to have received a cash payment of the sum of five
million dollars, (about N1.8 billion) from tObanikoro, without going
through any financial institution.
He was also alleged to have retained the sum of N300 million in his
account and took control of the aggregate sums of about N622 million
which sum he reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime
proceeds.
Fayose was alleged to have procured De Privateer Ltd and Still Earth
Ltd, to retain the aggregate sums of N851 million which they
reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.
Besides, the defendant was alleged to have used the aggregate sums of
about N1.6 billion to acquire properties in Lagos and Abuja, which
sums he reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.
He was also alleged to have used the sum of N200 million, to acquire a
property in Abuja, in the name of his elder sister Moji Oladeji, which
sum he ought to know also forms crime proceeds.
The offences contravene the provisions of sections 15(1), 15 (2), 15
(3), 16(2)(b), 16 (d), and 18 (c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition
Act 2011.