$2.1B Arms Fund: How Fayose Received N1.2billion – Witness

A prosecution witness on Thursday narrated how some of the N1.2 billion allegedly transferred from the office of the National Security Adviser was transferred into accounts owned and operated by Ayodele Fayose, the Ekiti State Governor.

Alade Sunday, a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank in Akure, the Ondo State capital, stated this at the ongoing trial of Biodun Agbele, an ally to Mr. Fayose.

The witness, at the resumed trial before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, told the court that N2.5 million was transferred to Mr. Fayose’s account on June 11, 2014, and N90 million on June 23, 2014.

Mr. Sunday, while being cross examined Mike Ozekhome, counsel to Mr. Agbele, said that another N1million was paid into Fayose’s account on June 2 while another N895,315 was paid into the account on June 5,2014.

The witness however agreed with Mr. Ozekhome that the account was in a very active state and that the monies were paid into the account before Mr. Fayose became the governor of Ekiti State.

While being cross examined on how the monies were received, he said that : “the monies were packed in Ghana must go and green trampoline bags in two aircraft.

“It took us about 45mins to offload the bags from the aircraft with the assistance of Olaolu Omotosho, and some security guards that followed Agbele whose name I cannot remember.

“After our discussion at the airport with the former minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro and Agbele, one Adewale A.O who introduced himself as the ADC to Obanikoro accompanied us, while Agbele insisted that the monies be counted.

“It was after we counted the money that we deposited it into the various account numbers he gave us including that of governor Fayose” the witness said.

The witness also gave a narration of how Mr. Agbele instructed that another N263 million be transported to Ado Ekiti. He, however, maintained that he did not follow Olaolu to Ado Ekiti with the money.

The judge adjourned to January 25, 26, and 27 for the continuation of trial.

Mr. Agbele was arraigned alongside former defence minister, Musiliu Obanikoro (in absentia), Sylvan Mcnamara Limited, A. O. Adewale, Tunde Oshinowo and Olalekan Ogunseye (all at large) on 11-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N1.2 billion.

The money was said to be part of N4.7 billion allegedly transferred from the imprest account of the Office of the National Security Adviser to the bank account of Sylvan McNamara, a company allegedly owned by the sons of Mr. Obanikoro.

The money is believed to have been used largely for the election of Mr. Fayose in 2014.

Mr. Obanikoro recently agreed to return some money to the EFCC from what he got from the deal.

Mr. Fayose, who as governor enjoys immunity from prosecution, has denied any wrongdoing.

[Agency Report]