Fayose’s N2.2bn fraud trial stalled

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday failed to present its witness in the N2.2 billion fraud trial of a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, and a firm, Spotless Investment Limited.

EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, told the court that it could not present its witness because a relative of the witness scheduled to come had been admitted into a coronavirus isolation centre.

Mr Jacobs then pleaded with Justice C.J. Aneke of the Federal High Court in Lagos to adjourn the case.

Defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo, said he had no objection to the request for adjournment.

The case was then adjourned till October 20, 2020.

The EFCC is accusing Fayose, inter alia, of taking possession of the sum of N1, 219, 000,000 on June 17, 2014, “to fund your 2014 gubernatorial campaign in Ekiti State, which you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust/stealing.”

The ex-governor was also alleged to have on the same day “received a cash payment of $5,000,000 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.”

Fayose and the company pleaded not guilty to the charges.