Court Frees Fayose of ₦6.9bn Fraud Charges
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has cleared former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, of all allegations bordering on money laundering and theft involving ₦6.9 billion.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke delivered the ruling on Tuesday after upholding a no-case submission filed by Fayose’s legal team, which argued that the prosecution failed to establish any concrete link between the former governor and the alleged crimes.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had accused Fayose of receiving ₦1.2 billion and $5 million in cash during his 2014 gubernatorial campaign, allegedly from the former National Security Adviser through Musiliu Obanikoro. He was also said to have laundered over ₦1.6 billion through companies linked to him, including De Privateer Ltd and Still Earth Ltd.
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But the judge held that the EFCC failed to present sufficient evidence to warrant Fayose entering a defence, noting that no prima facie case had been established against him.
Fayose and his company, Spotless Investment Ltd, were re-arraigned on an 11-count charge after the case was transferred from Justice Mojisola Olatoregun to Justice Aneke. The defence, led by Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, had argued that the absence of co-conspirators in the trial, especially Abiodun Agbele who was allegedly central to the transactions, significantly weakened the EFCC’s case.
The court agreed and discharged the former governor, effectively bringing the trial that began in 2018 to a close.
