Obanikoro tells court how Fayose received $5m from Dasuki

A former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, on Monday testified before a Federal High Court how ex-governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, got $5 million from the impress account of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, in June 2014.

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Fayose over alleged N6.9 billion fraud. The anti-graft agency had first arraigned him on October 22, 2018, alongside a company, Spotless Investment Ltd., on an 11-counts charge.

Fayose had then pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was granted bail in the sum of N50 million with one surety in like sum.

When the matter came up in the court this Monday, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), appeared for the EFCC, while Messrs Kanu Agabi (SAN) and Olalekan Ojo (SAN) represented the first and second accused respectively.

Obanikoro was in court to testify as the fifth prosecution witness.

Leading the former minister in evidence, Jacobs asked him where he was in 2014 and he told the court that he was the Minister of State for Defence.

Asked to tell what he knew about Fayose’s case, Obanikoro said that in June 2014, when Ekiti State governorship election was near, he received a call from the accused, enquiring from him if there was any ‘message’ for him from the then National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki.

Obanikoro said that the NSA later confirmed to him he had a “message” for Fayose and that the funds would be made available.

The prosecutor then showed the witness exhibit E to confirm if it was the account to which the funds were transferred, and the witness replied: “Yes”.

The witness then explained to the court that on June 13, 2014, and June 16, 2014, funds were posted into the account, adding that the funds were from the impress account of the NSA.

He said that he asked the accused how he wanted the money, and he told him that some amounts should be paid in Naira and others in dollars.

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According to him, the money was eventually brought in a bullion van to the private wing of the Ikeja Airport, where one Agbele, sent by the accused, was on standby.

He testified that after confirmation from the accused, the money was taken to Ekiti and that he met with the accused in his hotel at Ado Ekiti known as Spotless, where he gave him the dollar component which was five million dollars.

The defence later sought an adjournment to enable it to cross-examine the witness.

There were several objections and counter objections at this point, however the court at last granted an adjournment until February 4, for cross-examination of Obanikoro.

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