Ekiti govt levels N4.9bn fraud charge against Fayemi, ex-finance commissioner

The Ekiti State government has leveled 19-count charges bothering on alleged N4.9 billion against a former governor of the state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the Finance Commissioner during his administration, Mr. Dapo Kolawole.

The charges against the current Minister of Mines and Steel Development is coming less than two weeks after the white paper on the report of the Justice Silas Oyewole Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Finances of Ekiti State during the administration of Fayemi as governor of the state was released.

The 19-count charge HAD/05c/2018, in which Fayemi and Kolawole were accused of stealing, abuse of office, criminal contempt, among others was filed before the State High Court, Ado Ekiti on Friday, January 26, 2018.

Fayemi and Kolawole were accused of misappropriating the sum of N4.9 billion being the proceeds of Ekiti State Bond for the sum of N20 billion earmarked in the Bond Prospectus for various projects in the State that were either not done or partly done.

While releasing the white paper on January 15, 2018, the government had directed that the state’s Ministry of Justice should institute appropriate legal action(s) against Fayemi and others adding that Fayemi and his Finance Commissioner should be made to account for the whereabouts of the fund allocated to projects in the N25 billion Bond Prospectus, which were either not executed or partly executed.

Count 12 of the criminal charge bordered on conspiracy to steal, and is punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code law, Cap C. 16 Laws of Ekiti State, 2010.

It reads, “That you Dr. John Kayode Fayemi and Mr. Vincent Dapo Kolawole, while holding the offices of the Executive Governor of Ekiti State of Nigeria and Commissioner for Finance respectively, sometime between 2011 and 2014, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, conspired to steal the sum of N2,750,000,000.00 (N2.75 billion) being the sum of money earmarked in the Bond Prospectus titled; ‘Ekiti State Government of Nigeria, Offer for Subscription of N20,000,000,000 (N20 billion). 14.5% Fixed rate Bond Due 2018 Under the Ekiti State Government of Nigeria N25,000,000,000.00 Bond Issuance Programme ‘ and released for the construction of Ultra-Modern Market in Ekiti State, which you never built; and thereby committed an offence.”

Also on the N25 billion bond, Fayemi and Kolawole were accused of stealing the sum of N716,688,790.92 out of the N750 million earmarked in the Bond Prospectus and released for the construction of Ekiti State School of Agriculture out of which only N33.311,209.08 was allegedly spent, N198,860,023.00 being outstanding fund from the N500 million earmarked in the Bond Prospectus and released for the construction of Ekiti State Liaison Office in Lagos, out of which only N301,139,977 was expended for the said construction.

READ ALSO: RESTRUCTURING: Igbo group writes-off El-Rufai’s c’ttee report, calls for election boycott

Furthermore, of the N767, 970,167.47 earmarked in the Bond Prospectus and released for the renovation of the Governor’s Office, only N87, 622,912.25 was spent, leaving outstanding sum of N681, 347,255.22. For the renovation of Ado Ekiti Water Works, N335.5 million was earmarked and released while only N155, 523,558 was spent, leaving outstanding sum of N197, 979,441.77 and N468.6 million earmarked for construction of Ero Water Works, which was not done.

Fayemi and Kolawole were also charged with criminal contempt for refusing to appear before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, an offence punishable under Section 13 of the Commission of Inquiry Law, Cap C. 10, Laws of Ekiti State, 2010, Section 126(2) of the Criminal Code laws, Cap C. 16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2010 and Criminal Contempt punishable under Section 133 of the same criminal code.

It should be recalled that the Ekiti State government banned the duo of Fayemi and Kolawole from holding public office in the state for 10 years, for their refusal to appear before the Commission of Inquiry, even after the determination of the case challenging the inauguration of the commission of inquiry before the Ekiti State High Court.

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

 

 

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now