A former operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abubakar Aliyu Madaki, delivered a testimony in a Federal High Court in Lagos, shedding light on how former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, reportedly transferred a staggering sum of N1,219,000,000 in cash to the former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose.
Fayose, along with his firm, Spotless Investment Limited, is currently facing prosecution by the EFCC on charges related to the alleged laundering of N6.9 billion.
In his earlier court appearance, Obanikoro had revealed that N1.2 billion was purportedly conveyed to former Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti via an aircraft.
Continuing with his testimony, Mr. Madaki, the 13th Prosecution Witness, informed Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke that a portion of the money was used by the former Ekiti State governor to acquire property valued at N270 million from one Rabiu Kundili in Abuja. He also disclosed that N100 million was deposited into a fixed account.
Led by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Mr. Madaki further disclosed that between June 17 and June 27, 2014, a total of N150 million in cash was deposited into the bank account of the 2nd Defendant (Spotless Investment Limited) by one Biodun Agbele, an aide to former Ekiti governor Ayodele Fayose.
The witness continued to state that on August 24, 2016, an additional N168 million was deposited into Spotless Investment Limited’s bank account.
According to Mr. Madaki, these funds were withdrawn from the impress accounts in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and were part of the monies controlled by the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
He emphasized that the claim made by the 1st Defendant (Fayose) that the N1,219,000,000 received from the former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, constituted campaign funds from his political party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was thoroughly investigated.
The People’s Democratic Party secretariat in Abuja denied having received any money from the National Security Adviser or the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. They also affirmed that they had not allocated any campaign funds to Senator Musiliu Obanikoro for the 1st Defendant.
He said, ” In our investigation, we contacted the People’s Democratic Party secretariat in Abuja. The party denied receiving any money from the National Security Adviser, or 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 to the first defendant.
“So the funds moved from Diamond Bank to Zenith Bank were 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.
In light of these revelations, Mr. Madaki asserted that the funds moved from Diamond Bank to Zenith Bank were sourced from the impress account controlled by the office of the National Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Colonel Sambo Dasuki.
The 1st Defendant and his associate, Abiodun Agbele, were given an opportunity to provide a plausible explanation for the substantial sum deposited into the 2nd Defendant’s account, but they were unable to do so.
Justice Chukujekwu Aneke adjourned the matter until November 24 for the continuation of the trial.
It is important to note that Fayose and his company were re-arraigned for alleged money laundering and non-declaration of assets following their initial arraignment before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun on October 22, 2018. The amended charges include 11 counts relating to money laundering and embezzlement amounting to N6.9 billion (Six Billion Nine Hundred Million Naira).
In these charges, Fayose and Abiodun Agbele were accused of taking possession of N1.219 billion on June 17, 2014, for the purpose of funding Fayose’s 2014 gubernatorial campaign in Ekiti State. They faced allegations of criminal breach of trust, theft, and embezzlement of public funds.
The charges also included the receipt of $5 million from Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, the former Minister of State for Defence, on the same day, June 17, 2014, without using financial institutions.
These offenses are said to be in violation of various sections of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended, and are subject to corresponding penalties. Fayose denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty to the 11 counts of charges.