N1.299bn Fraud: EFCC may arraign Fayose’s associate; Agbele

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may arraign Abiodun Agbele, an associate of Governor Ayodele Fayose, for trial next week in connection with alleged N1.299billion fraud.

The Nation, learnt that the charges against Agbele were being fine-tuned as at the time of filing this report.

Agbele has been under investigation by the EFCC over how N1, 299,490,000.00 was wired into Fayose’s accounts. The suspect collected the slush funds from a former Minister of Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro.

Obanikoro ferried the cash to the Akure Airport in a chartered aircraft with Registration No: HS125-800 5N-BMT belonging to Gyro Air Limited.

The cash was from the N4.745billion which was paid into Obanikoro’s company, Sylva Mcnamara, by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for the Ekiti governorship poll in 2014.

A top source in the EFCC, who spoke in confidence, said: “We are set for the trial of Agbele any moment from now.

“We may likely prefer charges against the suspect next week. But in preparation for his arraignment, we have filed an application for a stay of action of a ruling of the FCT High Court asking the EFCC to release Agbele.

“All our witnesses are ready for the case . We are waiting for the FCT High Court administration to assign the case to a judge.”

An investigating officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Tosin Owobo, had opened up at the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti, on how the N1, 299,490,000.00 was wired into Governor Ayodele Fayose’s accounts by one of his associates, Abiodun Agbele.

Owobo, who swore to an affidavit, said: “That the total sum of N 1, 219,490,000 was conveyed to the Akure Airport by Senator Obanikoro through a chartered aircraft with Registration No: HS125-800 5N-BMT belonging to Gyro Air Limited.”

“That on the 17th day of June, 2014, Mr. Alade Oluseye in the company with one Abiodun Agbele, a front of the Applicant(Fayose), went to the Akure Airport wherein they took cash delivery of the sum of N724,500,000.00 from Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and his acclaimed Aide-de-Camp, Lieutenant Colonel A.O Adewale.

“That on the 18th day of June, 2014, another sum of N494, 990,000 was also delivered to Mr. Alade Oluseye by the said minister in the same manner.

“That the total sum of N 1, 219,490,000 (One Billion, Two Hundred and Nineteen Million, Four Hundred and Ninety Thousand Naira) was conveyed to the Akure Airport by Senator Obanikoro through a chartered aircraft with Registration No: HS125-800 5N-BMT belonging to Gyro Air Limited.”

Advertisements