Fayose trial begins Monday

The criminal trial of the former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose , who is facing 11 count charges begin Monday at the Federal High Court, Lagos before Justice Olatiregun.

The embattled former Ekiti governor upon EFCC invitation submitted himself voluntarily at the EFCC Abuja office after his tenure as governor and he was immediately arrested and detained but was flown into Lagos on Sunday morning ahead of his trial on Monday.

Fayose will be facing a joint trial alongside Abiodun Agbele (now facing another charge) and Spotless Limited.

The former governor was alleged to have committed the alleged offences during his tenure as Ekiti State governor.

Among the charges:

Fayose and Agbele allegedly took possession of N1.219 billion to fund his 2014 gubernatorial campaign in Ekiti State, which sum according to the EFCC Fayose reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act.

On or about 17th June, 2014 in Lagos, Fayose was alleged to have without going through the financial institution received cash payment of $5 million from Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, the then Minister of State for Defence, which sum exceeded the amount authorised by law.

On or about 7th April, 2015 in Lagos, Fayose was further alleged to have retain in your fixed deposit account No: 9013074033 with Zenith Bank Plc, the sum of N300 million, which sum formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act.

It was alleged that both Fayose and Spotless Limited between 17th June, 2014 and 4th August, 2014 in Lagos, took control of an aggregate sum of N317 million by depositing same into the Zenith Bank Plc’s Account No: 1010170969 belonging to Spotless Investment Limited, a company controlled by Fayose and members of his family and which sum he reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act.

Count 5 reads : “That you MR. AYODELE FAYOSE between 26th June, 2014 and 27th August, 2014 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, took control of an aggregate sum of N305.76 millionin your Zenith Bank Account No: 1003126654 which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act”