Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, is facing renewed trouble as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reopened a case against him involving an alleged N6.9 billion fraud.
A former EFCC operative, Abubakar Madaki, provided testimony before a Federal High Court in Lagos regarding how former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, allegedly delivered N1,219,000,000 in cash to Fayose.
Fayose and his company, Spotless Investment Limited, are currently being prosecuted by the EFCC for money laundering involving the sum of N6.9 billion.
Obanikoro had previously testified in court that N1.2 billion was transported to former Governor Fayose of Ekiti via an aircraft.
During the recent court proceedings, Madaki, the 13th Prosecution Witness, informed Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke that Fayose used part of the money to purchase a property worth N270 million from one Rabiu Kundili in Abuja. Additionally, a sum of N100 million was deposited into a fixed account.
The witness disclosed that between June 17 and 27, 2014, a total of N150 million in cash was deposited into the bank account of Spotless Investment Limited by Biodun Agbele, an aide to Fayose.
Furthermore, on August 24, 2016, N168 million was deposited into Spotless Investment Limited’s bank account, and this money was sourced from the impress accounts in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and was part of funds under the control of the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki.
Madaki stated that during the investigation, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) headquarters in Abuja was contacted, and they denied receiving any money from the National Security Adviser or the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The PDP also denied giving any campaign funds to Senator Musiliu Obanikoro for the first defendant (Fayose).
Despite being given an opportunity to explain the source of the money deposited into the account of Spotless Investment Limited, Fayose and his associate, Agbele, were reportedly unable to provide a reasonable explanation.
The case has been adjourned to November 24 for the continuation of the trial.