EFCC’s operative tells Federal High Court how Obanikoro handed over cash of N1.2b to Fayose 

EFCC’s operative tells Federal High Court how Obanikoro handed over cash of N1.2b to Fayose 

A witness for the prosecution in the trial of former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has described how the ex-governor received N1.2 billion cash from ex-Minister of State for Defence, Musliu Obanikoro. 

Fayose is standing trial over alleged N6.9 billion fraud, a sum he allegedly received from Obanikoro, then Minister of State for Defence, to prosecute the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti. 

The witness, a former operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abubakar Aliyu Madaki, told a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, that Fayose received N1.2 billion in cash, part of which he used over N200 million to buy a real estate property. 

Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) on Friday, Mr Abubakar Aliyu Madaki told the Court that Fayose also made deposits of the funds into the bank account of his firm, Spotless Investment Limited.

Recall that Senator Obanikoro had earlier in his evidence narrated before the Court how N1.2 billion was allegedly taken to former Gov Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti, using an aircraft.

In continuation of his evidence on Friday, Madaki who is the 13th Prosecution Witness (PW.13), told Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke that out of the money, the former Ekiti State governor bought property worth N270million from one Rabiu Kundili in Abuja and also deposited in a fixed account the sum of N100million.

Giving evidence, the EFCC operative stated that between 17th and 27th of June 2014, a total sum of N150million cash deposit was lodged into the bank account of the 2nd defendant (Spotless Investment Limited), by one Biodun Agbele, an aide to the former Ekiti governor, Ayodele Fayose.

The witness further told the court that on the 24th August 2016 the sum of N168 million was also deposited into Spotless Investment Limited bank account 

He maintained that the money was released from the impress accounts in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

He stated that the impress accounts were under the control of the  former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).

The witness further stated that an investigation was carried out on the claim by the 1st defendant (Fayose ) that the N1,219,000,000 received from the former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro was the campaign funds from his political party, the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP).

He said ” In our investigation, we contacted the Peoples Democratic Party secretariat in Abuja. The party denied  receiving any money from the  National Security Adviser, or from 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 the first defendant.

“So the funds moved from Diamond Bank to Zenith Bank were clearly 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.

Madaki said that opportunity was given to the first defendant and his associate, Abiodun Agbele to explain the source of the huge sum of money deposited into the account of the 2nd defendant but they could not give any reasonable reason.

At this point, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke adjourned the matter till November 24 for continuation of trial.

The EFCC had, re-arraigned Fayose and Spotless Investment Limited on an 11-count charge bordering on money laundering and stealing to the tune of N6.9billion.

The defendants were first arraigned on October 22, 2018 before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun and later the case was transferred to Justice Aneke.

Fayose and his company were re-arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke for alleged money laundering and non-declaration of his assets.

In the amended charge, Fayose and one Abiodun Agbele, who is also standing trial on alleged money laundering offences before another division of the court, were alleged to have on June 17, 2014, taken possession of N1.219 billion to fund Fayose’s 2014 gubernatorial campaign in Ekiti State.

They were accused of committing criminal breach of trust, theft and stealing of public funds.

They were also alleged to have on the same June 17, 2014, without going through financial institutions, received $5 million from Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, who was the Minister of State for Defence.

The offences, according to the EFCC, are contrary to Sections 15 (2)(d); 1 and 16 (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended, and punishable under Section 15 (3) (4); 16 (2) (b) of the same Act.

Fayose had denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to all the 11 counts  charge.