Witness in Fayose trial narrates how bank evacuated N1.21bn
A top official of a new generation bank, Dr. Abiodun Oshode, on Tuesday told a Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos how the bank took a bullion van to the airport to evacuate N1.219 billion from an aircraft.
Oshode said the bank rendered the service at the request of Abiodun Agbele, an aide to former Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state, who is currently, on trial over a N6.9 billion fraud.
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He told the court that a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, was present during the operation at the airport and that
Agbele supplied the three bank accounts into which the money was to be lodged into.
The witness listed the three accounts as those of Privateer Nigeria Limited, Spotless Investment Limited and a personal account belonging to Fayose.
Oshode, who was led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) also listed Ayodele Fayose and Mrs. Olayemi Fayose as the signatories to the account of Spotless Investment Limited.
When asked under cross-examination by Fayose’s lawyer, Mr. Ola Olanipekun (SAN) whether the bank reported the lodgement of such huge amounts to the relevant authorities, the witness answered that it was reported.
He explained that it was the standard practice that banks must report cash transactions above N1million for an individual and N5 million for a corporate body.
When Olanipekun (SAN) asked him if after reporting the lodgement, the relevant authorities directed the bank to stop the transaction, Oshode responded in the negative.
When the defence counsel asked whether Oshode would agree with him that the transaction was not stopped because it was deemed appropriate, the banker said he agreed.
He further asked the witness that the defendants invited the bank because they believed the transaction was appropriate and Oshode also answered in the affirmative.
When the second defence counsel, Mr. Olalekan Ojo (SAN) if he was the former governor filling any teller at any branch of the bank, either in Ekiti or Akure, the banker said no.
Justice C.J. Aneke adjourned further proceedings till Wednesday.
