Fayose

… Granted permission to travel abroad for medical treatment

Akin Kuponiyi

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, presiding over Federal High Court in Lagos, today ordered that the immediate past f

Former Ekiti state Governor, Ayodele Fayose, was today re-arraigned before a Federal high court in Lagos south West Nigeria on N6.9billion money laundering case. Also, the court ordered him to remain on the existing bail conditions granted him by former trial judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the same Federal high court.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecuting the ex-Governor re-arraigned Fayose for alleged money laundering, even as the court granted his application to travel to South Africa for medical treatment.

The current trial judge, Chukwujechukwu Aneke, also ordered the release of Fayose’s international passport and that the passport be returned to the court on 16 September 2019.

The re-arraignment followed the re-arriagnment of the case to Justice Aneke after the prosecution expressed loss of confidence in Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, who was previously hearing the case.

EFCC counsel, Mr. S. A. Adewale had told the court last Friday that the prosecution was not ready for the arraignment, prompting the adjournment of the matter till today.

Fayose was arraigned alongside a company, Spotless Investment Limited today, on the same 11 counts, with which he was charged by the EFCC on 22 October 2018,

He pleaded not guilty to all the charges and his counsel, Ola Olanipekun (SAN) applied that he should be allowed to continue to enjoy the bail earlier granted him by Justice Olatoregun, to which the EFCC counsel, Adebisi Adeniyi raised no objection.

Justice Aneke consequently admitted the former governor to bail in the terms and conditions earlier granted him by Justice Olatoregun. The trial was adjourned till 16, 17, 18 and 19 September as well as 21 to 25 October, 2019.

Fayose and his company, Spotless limited, are standing trial before the court in Lagos on eleven counts charge filed before the court by the EFCC legal officer Mr A B Ozioko,that run thus:

“It was alleged that,MR. AYODELE FAYOSE and MR. ABIODUN AGBELE (now facing another charge) on or about 17th June, 2014 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, took possession of the sum of N1, 219, 000, 000.00 (One Billion, Two Hundred and Nineteen Million Naira) to fund his 2014 gubernatorial election campaign in Ekiti State, the sum which he reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust/stealing and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) and (4) of the same Act.

MR. AYODELE FAYOSE on or about 17th June, 2014 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without going through the financial institution received cash payment in the sum of $5, 000, 000 (Five Million Dollars) from SENATOR MUSILIU OBANIKORO, the then Minister of State for Defence, which sum exceeded the amount authorised by law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 1 and 16 (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16 (2) (b) of the same Act.

It was also alleged that between June 2014 and April 2015 MR. AYODELE FAYOSE did retain in his bank account,and account of Spotless limited a company control by him and members of his family the sum of N1,841,000,000 which sum he reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust/stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.

That you MR. AYODELE FAYOSE between 18th June, 2014 and 23rd June, 2014 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did procure DE-PRIVATEER LIMITED and one ABIODUN AGBELE to retain in their bank Account an aggregate sum of N719, 490, 000.00 (Seven Hundred and Nineteen Million, Four Hundred and Ninety Thousand Naira) on his behalf, which sum formed parts of proceed of an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust/stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.

AYODELE FAYOSE and SPOTLESS LIMITED on or about 4th August, 2014 did use the sum of N270, 000, 000.00 (Two Hundred and Seventy Million Naira) to acquire a property at Plot 1504, Yedsema Street, Maitama, Abuja from one RABI KUNDILI, which sum he reasonably ought to have known formed part of the criminal act, while he was also accused of using illicit funds of an aggregate sum of N1, 151, 711, 573 (One Billion, One Hundred and Fifty One Million, Seven Hundred and Eleven Thousand, Five hundred and Seventy Three Naira) to acquire chalets 3 and 4, 6 and 9 of the property situate at Plot 100 Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island, Lagos in the name of JJ TECHNICAL SERVICE.

MR. AYODELE FAYOSE between 23rd April, 2015 and 30th April, 2015 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use an aggregate sum of N200, 000, 000.00 (Two Hundred Million Naira) to acquire a property known as No. 44, Osun Crescent, Maitama, Abuja in the name of MOJI OLADEJI (his elder sister), which sum he reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust/stealing and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.

In count 10,the prosecutor alleged that MR. AYODELE FAYOSE between 23rd April, 2015 and 30th April, 2015 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use an aggregate sum of N270, 000, 000.00 (Two Hundred and Seventy Million Naira) to acquire a property known as Plot 1504 Yedseram Street, Maitama, Abuja in the name of SPOTLESS INVESTMENT LIMITED, which sum he reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust/stealing and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.

MR. AYODELE FAYOSE on or about 30th January, 2015 did procure STILL EARTH LIMITED to retain in its account with First City Monument Bank (FCMB), the sum of N132, 500, 000.00 (One Hundred and Thirty Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) for his benefit, which sum formed part of the proceeds of his unlawful activity, to wit: gratification which he received from SAMCHASE NIGERIA LIMITED and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.