The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has seized six
choice properties allegedly acquired by Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti
State with stolen public funds.
The duplexes, estimated at N1.350billion include four in Lagos and two in Abuja.
They were allegedly acquired for him by his associate, Abiodun Agbele and sister. Mrs. Moji Ladeji.
A furious Mrs. Ladeji has approached the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti laying claim to one of the Abuja duplexes.
EFCC, according to impeccable sources, believe that the properties
were bought with public funds including the N1.219billion slush fund
from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) handed over to
Fayose by former Minister of Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro, and bribe
money from contractors.
Part of the funds came from the N4.745billion which was paid into
Obanikoroโs company, Sylva Mcnamara by ONSA for the 2014 Ekiti
governorship poll.
Operatives of the anti-graft commission have located and marked the
duplexes as follows: 44, Osun Crescent and 32, Yedseram Street in
Maitama, Abuja; and houses 3, 4, 6, and 9 in Plot 100, Tiamiyu Savage
Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
EFCC sources said the funds were wired to pay for the duplexes.
While the duplex on Osun Crescent was allegedly bought for
N200million from Skye Bank Plc, the one located in Yedseram Street in
Abuja was purchased for N270million from a businessman, Rabi Kundili.
All the houses in Lagos were paid for by Abiodun Agbele, the detained
associate of the governor who is currently under investigation.
Agbele allegedly paid over N880 million for the Lagos properties.
Sources said the duplexes were โacquired within 180 days in office by Fayose.โ
โWe have discovered that he paid for the houses through his associateโs company, De-Privateer Limited of Agbele.
โDe-Privateer remitted slush funds into three accounts including FCMB
(0519693019), First Bank of Nigeria (1000070240) and Zenith Bank
(1014016919).
โThe payments were made as follows: First BankโN40m (29/1/15); N39.5m
(30/1/15); N132.5 (30/1/ 15); N3.2m (4/2/15); N980, 000(4/2/15); N200m
(17/2/15); N47m (13/2/15); N50m (13/2/15).
โThe lodgements in an account in Zenith Bank (1014016919) included N42.5m (9/4/15); N25m (23/4/15); and N229m (6/3/15).
โAbout N200million was paid into FCMB account 0519693019 on March 9, 2015.โ
He said the anti-graft agency seized the properties by invoking
sections 28 and 34 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004 and Section
13(1) of the Federal High Court Act, 2004 which empower the anti-graft
agency to invoke Interim Assets Forfeiture Clause.
โSection 28 of the EFCC Act reads: โWhere a person is arrested for an
offence under this Act, the Commission shall immediately trace and
attach all the assets and properties of the person acquired as a result
of such economic or financial crime and shall thereafter cause to be
obtained an interim attachment order from the Court.โ
Section 13 of the Federal High Court Act reads in part: โThe Court
may grant an injunction or appoint a receiver by an interlocutory order
in all cases in which it appears to the Court to be just or convenient
so to do.
(2) โAny such order may be made either unconditionally or on such terms and conditions as the Court thinks just.โ
The source added: โOne of the suspects in custody, Agbele, has been
linked to the purchase of most of all these properties. In fact, funds
for the purchase of these mansions were laundered through the account of
Agbeleโs company called De-Privateer.
โSince the houses are under investigation, we have decided to invoke the assets forfeiture clause in our Act.โ
Responding to a question, the source said: โThe EFCC has secured a
fresh court order to keep Agbele in custody because the on-going
investigation has not been concluded.
โSo, the governorโs associate is still in detention because we have
invited more people linked with the money laundering for the governor.โ
The source confirmed that Fayoseโs sister, Mrs. Moji Ladeji has filed
an affidavit in court claiming that she is the real owner of the
property on Osun Crescent, Maitama District, Abuja.
โWe will meet her in court with all the evidence at our disposal,โ the source added.
The EFCC had secured a court order from Justice M. B. Idris of the
Federal High Court, Lagos to freeze the accounts of Fayose, a
development which the governor is already challenging in court.
In an affidavit by an Investigating Officer, Tosin Owobo, the
commission said: โThat the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission in the exercise of his statutory mandate contained in
Section 34 of the EFCC Act having satisfied himself that the various
sums of money in the account No. 1003126654, 9013074033, 1010170969 and
1013835888 domiciled with the 2nd Respondent were made through the
commission of the an economic and financial crimes to wit: stealing and
receiving gratification approached the Federal High Court Lagos Judicial
Division, for an order directing the Manager of the 2nd Respondent to
freeze the said accounts.
โThat in his wisdom, Hon. Justice M.B Idris granted the 1st
Respondentโs application wherein an order of interim attachment was made
on the aforementioned accounts. Attached and marked exhibit EFCC 09 is a
certified true copy of the said order.
โThat the said order was a preservative order to prevent further dissipation of proceeds of crimes.โ
The EFCC also had succeeded in establishing money laundering link between Fayose and Agbele.
Investigation revealed as follows; โThe N1, 219, 490,000 was not
deposited in any account but it was kept in a vault in the bank. It took
the bank officials about 10 days to count. The bankers refused to make
entry until it was counted.
โShortly after confirming the figure, Abiodun was used to coordinate
the disbursement of the funds. On June 26, 2014, the wanted associate
(Abiodun Agbele) paid N137million into Ayodele Fayoseโs account
10003126654 with Zenith Bank through Teller-0556814. Fayoseโs BVN on the
teller is 22338867502. On August 22, 2014, he paid N50million into the
same account. By the records from the bank, Abiodun paid another N118,
760,000 into Fayoseโs account on 27/8/14.
โBased on the transfers, Fayose moved N300million to a Fixed Deposit
Account No 9013074033 with Zenith Bank at 15, Olusola Abiona Street,
Olorunda Estate, Alapere Ketu. He has the same BVN-22338867502.
โAfter that, Abiodun deposited another N100million from the N1, 219,
490,000 into Spotless Hotel Account run by Fayose and his wife, Helen
Olayemi Fayose with Account No. 1010170969, Fayoseโs BVN is 223338867502
and his wifeโs BVN in the account is 22298990256.
โThe governor and his wife are the two directors and signatories of Spotless Hotel account.โ
In the course of the investigation, the EFCC team dug up how De
Privateer Limited (a company owned by Abiodun Agbele) with Account No.
1013835889 received the sum of N219, 490,000 on June 18, 2014.
โOn June 19, 2014, the same account received N300million and another
N200million on June 23, 2014. The BVN of the account is 22235692890.โ
