A Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday heard that former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose allegedly invited a bank to move N200 million cash from his home.
A banker, Johnson Abidakun, stated this while testifying before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke.
The witness said the cash was moved in April 2016 with police escort from Fayose’s official residence in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
The money was reportedly lodged in a bank account.
The witness testified for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the trial of the ex-governor for alleged N2.2 billion fraud.
Abidakun said he was the bank’s Head of Operations in Ekiti at the time, adding that his duty was to oversee three units, namely: Funds Transfer, Cash and Teller as well as Customer Service.
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The banker, who was led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Adebisi Adeniyi, said the transaction began with a call on April 16, 2016, from his Zonal Head, Dr. Abiodun Oshode.
Abidakun said: “I received a call from my Zonal Head, Dr Abiodun Oshode, that there was an assignment to be carried out, that there was N200 million to be moved from the residence of the then governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose.
“He said we had to go and move the cash urgently and I immediately called the cash officer to arrange for the police. The policemen arrived after 30 minutes. We arranged for their payment and called it police money. We also arranged for the cash driver and the cash movers.
“So, they set out for the assignment. After about one hour, they came back with the money and the money was counted and ascertained to be N199.5 million, as against N200 million. While detailed counting of the money was going on, Mr Abiodun Agbele came in with another man, Mr Taofeek.
“I know Mr Agbele to be close to the governor but I don’t know his position. He gave instructions that the money should be credited into the account of Still Earth Nigeria Limited and that the depositor was Mr Taofeek.
“At the point of posting, I discovered that the deposit slip was filled by my subordinate, Oputu Okeimute. I asked him why he filled the deposit slip and he said the depositor could not read or write. After that, the money was credited into the account of Still Earth.”
Under cross-examination by Fayose’s lawyer, Mr Ola Olanipekun (SAN), Abidakun affirmed that he did not personally go to Fayose’s house but delegated Adewale Aladegbola to lead the team.
He added: “Aladegbola was the only one that knew the destination. I didn’t tell him the amount of money but he led the team.
“When they came back, they didn’t tell me that they met the first defendant (Fayose).”
Further hearing continues today.
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