The frozen N75 million is part payment of legal fees from Fayose – Ozekhome



Human rights lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), said on Tuesday the N75million frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in his account was a part payment of legal fees by Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose.


He said the fund was for legal services he rendered the governor in his personal capacity, and to his aides.

“For the records, the N75million was paid into my account by my client, Governor Fayose of Ekiti State as part payment of professional fees for the numerous cases my chambers is currently handling for him (in his personal capacity) and his aides across Nigeria. The money is neither ‘suspected proceeds of crime’ or of money laundering,” he said in a statement.

Ozekhome said he represented Fayose against EFCC before Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Ekiti.

He said the judge on January 31 dismissed EFCC’s motion seeking to restrain the governor from withdrawing the remaining balance from his account that was earlier frozen by the commission but was de-frozen by the judge.

EFCC has appealed the ruling.

The senior advocate said: “The present action of EFCC is clearly calculated to overreach Governor Fayose. This will never happen. I will continue to defend beleaguered and oppressed Nigerians from the antics and highhandedness of publicly-funded government institutions that breach their fundamental rights.

“It is sickening and inconceivable that money legitimately and legally paid by a client to his solicitor from an unencumbered account wholly and totally defrozen and unblocked by the judgment of a competent court of law can be termed ‘suspected proceeds of crime or money laundering.

“I am practicing lawyer, not a government employee, contractor or a businessman. I have never laundered and will never launder any money in my life.

“It is so shameful and disgusting when we make ourselves a laughing stock before international circles through brazen unconstitutional acts by publicly-funded government institutions just to silence all critical voices of reason and plurality of ideas.

“I shall take immediate legal steps to defreeze the account in the event that the EFCC does not immediately voluntarily vacate the said order.”
( Hide )
  1. I am ashamed of you, no wonder you were kidnapped some times ago. What kind of case are you making. You are a SENIOR ARMED ROBBER OF NIGERIA (SAM)
    Always talking with spit dripping out of his mouth. Your end is near.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Defending the oppressed indeed! You are only defending criminals nd thieves bc of personal gains. You are only aiding evils nd corruption. The truly oppressed are crying out there but bc they can't give you big money like corrupt politicians, you will never listen to their cries. You are as wicked nd evil as the bad people you claim to be defending.

    ReplyDelete
  3. So what is the government of Nigeria? All promises canceled, human right violators, hate and blame ambassadors, propagandists, youth destroyers, prosperity haters, religious fanatics,tribalistic, sentimentalists, women haters,shameless and conscienceless bigots... Please complete the list, one day you too will be a victim of this lawless government, maybe then you would appreciate the right to fair hearing

    ReplyDelete
  4. 75million naira as part payment for the governor's defence and you call that defenseless of the oppressed? How much is the governor's salary? Where did he get that kind of money to pay you? Mr. SAN, common sense should tell you it's public fund. You collect that kind of money and you're talking about defenseless of the helpless...common gerroutta here!
    KJoe

    ReplyDelete
  5. SAN. ==== SENIOR ARMED ROBBER OF NIGERIA. You are a bloody thief.

    ReplyDelete
  6. N75m as a part payment?? Does he stands to loss such amount if he loses the case? This is ridiculous.

    ReplyDelete
  7. If N75m is "part payment" for legal services rendered to a governor, one wonders what will be the 'full payment'. And this idiotic, corrupt lawyer calls himself "human rights lawyer' fighting in defence of the oppressed. Which "oppressed" Nigerian can raise so huge an amount to pay this criminal?

    ReplyDelete
  8. We shoulsvalways try to make a meaningful contributions without abuse. Many of the so called accusers are not better off. Has Ekiti people complained about the Governor, has he no salary,investment or otherwise? So many people are blindfolded beyond reasoning. Where were so many of you when the legal luminary was in schools, building his chamber and developing himself? When has it become an offense for someone to collect fees for a task? He could charge as he so wish after all others (political office holder's) gave more than that to their lawyers.
    Pls endeavor to make meaningful contributions devoid of abuses or bias.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you mr.contributor.All of you will be exposed.Leave Fayose to his radical the end is near when nemesis will catch up with him and all his collaborators.Let the Nigeria bar association draft a query for this lawyer Ozelkome

    ReplyDelete
  10. N75m for cases as part payment. How many aids of Fayose have cases?

    God dey oooo

    ReplyDelete

Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)

Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com

© Copyright © 2023 NigerianEye.com | Your Online Nigerian Newspaper | All Rights Reserved