Fayose’s money laundering trial resumes today after yesterday’s hitch

The ongoing money laundering trial of a Ex- governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, fixed to continue on Thursday July 13 could not proceed because the prosecution counsel was not in court, consequently the trial will now continue on Friday July 14.

The prosecutor Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) was said to be away in Yola for a case but had suffered a flight cancellation back to Lagos.

Fayose is standing trial on allegations of money laundering. He is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

At the last adjourned date on June 6, the 12th prosecution witness, a former Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, had concluded his evidence before the court.

Obanikoro who began his evidence on January 31, concluded same, after cross examination by the defence.

Among other testimonies, the witness had told the court that he had no documentary evidence to show that he gave money to Fayose.

The defendant was first arraigned on October 22. 2018, before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun. He was charged alongside his company, Spotless Investment Ltd, on 11 counts bordering on 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was, however, subsequently, re-arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, on July 2, 2019, after the case was withdrawn from Justice Olatoregun, following EFCC’s petition.

He had also pleaded not guilty to the charges and was allowed to continue on the earlier bail granted, while the case was adjourned for trial.

The commission has since opened its case before Justice Aneke, and is still leading witnesses in evidence.

In December 2021 EFCC had called its 11th witness, one Mrs Joanne Tolulope, who had narrated how Abiodun Agbele, an associate of Fayose, bought properties worth several millions.

During trial before Justice Olatoregun, the prosecution had also called witnesses, from several commercial banks, as well as 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 State, 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 the then Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, 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 contravenes 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