Fayose’s trial resumes before new judge in alleged N6.9b fraud
The trial of former Governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose, resumed on Monday before a Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) calling its first witness who told the court that the statements he wrote while in EFCC custody and his evidence before the court were what he was told.
The witness, Lawrence Akande, who was the south west Zonal Head of Zenith Bank Plc had earlier informed Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, that he was called by the former governor that there will be a business transaction on his account in Akure branch of the bank and he called Biodun Osode, who was based in Akure to handle the transaction.
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However, when he was asked under cross -examination by defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN) whether he (Akande) had direct knowledge of the transactions in question, he answered in the negative.
Ojo then asked, “do you also further confirm that all that you stated in your statements to the EFCC were based on what you were told?” and the witness responded in the affirmative.
He also said he was not told how much was to be deposited into the account, where the money was coming from and what the fund was meant for.
When also asked by counsel to the first defendant, Ola Olanipekun (SAN) whether it was in the course of this transaction that he met Fayose for the first time, the witness said “no, he was my governor first and second term.”
The witness also told the court that it was impossible for anyone to make withdrawals from a corporate bank account outside the introduction given by the signatories to the account and in the event of alterations to any instruction by the account signatories the signatories must make another signed written instruction.
Earlier, the EFCC counsel, Adebisi Adeniyi, had sought to withdraw documents he tendered through Akande when the defence counsel objected to the admissibility of the documents on the ground that the witness through whom the prosecutor sought to tender them was not the maker of the documents.
Fayose was first arraigned on October 22, 2018, before Justice Mojisola Olatotegun, alongside a company, Spotless Investment Limited on 11-count charge bordering on alleged fraud and money laundering.
He had pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail on October 24, 2018, in the sum of N50 million with sureties in like sum.
Consequent upon complaints of bias against Justice Olatoregun by the prosecution, the defendants were subsequently, re-arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, on July 2.
Meanwhile, the case has been adjourned till today for continuation of trial.
