The N2.2bn fraud trial of former Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and one Spotless Limited continued on Tuesday with further cross-examination of Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro, who is the fifth prosecution witness.
Fayose and Spotless Limited are being tried on 11 counts bordering on criminal breach of trust, stealing and money laundering before the Federal High Court in Lagos.
At the instance of Spotless Limited’s lawyer, Mr. Olalekan Ojo (SAN), Justice Mojisola Olatoregun had, in a ruling on Monday, admitted into evidence an extrajudicial statement made by one late Mr. Justin Erukaa, who worked as Special Assistant to Obanikor.
In admitting Erukaa’s statement as Exhibit J, the judge overruled the objection raised by the prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), to the admissibility of the document.
At the resumed trial on Tuesday, Obanikoro, while being further cross-examined by Ojo, affirmed that Erukaa died after he had made an extrajudicial statement to the EFCC.
“This Justin Erukaa, who was one of your Special Assistants, can you tell the court how you got to know about his death after making Exhibit J?” Ojo further asked.
Responding, Obanikoro said, “He (Erukaa) left Lagos a day before Sallah about two years ago, and the Police called one of my SAs that the owner of the phone just had an accident and had died on the spot; and he (Obanikoro’s SA) immediately called me and informed me.”
Asked by Ojo whether he attended Erukaa’s burial, Obanikoro said, “I was there with my family.”