The Federal High Court in Lagos
on Tuesday discharged former Minister of State for Defence Senator Musiliu
Obanikoro as a witness in the trial of former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose.
Obanikoro testified as the fifth
witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Under cross examination by
counsel for Spotless Limited, Fayose’s co-accused, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN),
Obanikoro said there was no documentary evidence to back up all he said in
court.
Ojo asked him: “Did you produce
any evidence to back any of your assertions before this court?”
Obanikoro answered: “No.”
Ojo asked the former minister
about his late personal assistant Justin Erukaa, whose statement made during
investigation was earlier admitted in evidence.
The witness said: “Erukaa left
Lagos a day before Salah about two years ago.
“The Police called one of my
special assistants saying the owner of the phone died on the spot in a motor
accident. My PA immediately called me.”
After Ojo said he had no further
questions for Obanikoro, prosecuting counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) called the
sixth prosecuting witness (PW6), Mr. Olugboyega Omotayo Falae, a banker.
The EFCC had alleged Fayose
acquired a property on 44, Osun Crescent, Maitama, Abuja in the name of his
elder sister, Moji Oladeji, with N200million.
Falae, who works with Ecobank
Nigeria, said he was a staff of Skye Bank (now Polaris Bank) when the
transaction occurred.
He said as head of the estate
support department, he knew about how the property came to be sold.
According to him, the bank
occasionally disposes of some properties “that are in excess of its
requirements.”
He said the Osun Crescent
property was one of those the bank decided to dispose of.
Falae said once the bank’s
management gave approval, a list of properties was given to agents who would
source for buyers.
He said the bank got offers,
including one from one Mrs. Titiloye Orebiyi.
“Eventually we agreed on
N200million for the property. The documents of the transaction were submitted
to the EFCC.
“On April 20, 2015, we wrote an
internal memo and a letter of acceptance to the Managing Director of Signature
Integrated Ltd (Mrs Orebiyi) accepting their N200million offer and indicating
which bank account to pay to,” he said.
The court admitted some of the
transaction documents in evidence.
Fayose is on trial for allegedly
receiving and keeping N1.2billion and $5million allegedly stolen from the
Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) contrary to the Money Laundering
Act.
He pleaded not guilty when he was
arraigned on an 11-count charge last October 22.
EFCC said Fayose and Biodun
Agbele, who is facing a different charge, allegedly took possession of N1,
219,000, 000 on June 17, 2014 to fund the former governor’s 2014 gubernatorial
campaign.
The commission said Fayose
“reasonably ought to have known” that the money “formed part of the proceeds of
an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust/stealing.”
EFCC said Fayose, on the same
day, received cash payment of $5million from Obanikoro, without going through a
financial institution, the sum having exceeded the amount authorised by law.
Fayose pleaded not guilty.
Trial continues tomorrow.
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com