Former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, was cleared of money laundering and theft charges totalling ₦6.9 billion by the Federal High Court in Lagos.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke upheld Fayose’s no-case submission, stating that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission failed to link him to the alleged crime or demonstrate prima facie evidence to justify his defence.
Fayose was initially charged in 2018 before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, but the EFCC later obtained a transfer of the case to Justice Aneke.
The anti-graft agency accused Fayose of obtaining ₦1.2 billion for his 2014 governorship campaign and $5 million in cash from former Minister of State for Defence Musiliu Obanikoro without going through any financial institutions.
He was accused of laundering about ₦1.6 billion to acquire properties through firms like De Privateer Ltd and Still Earth Ltd.
The former Ekiti governor and his firm, Spotless Investment Ltd., were re-arraigned before Justice Aneke on 11 counts of money laundering and theft.
The alleged crimes were believed to have occurred when he was governor and involved cash purportedly related to the Office of the National Security Adviser.
At the hearing on Wednesday, Fayose’s counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), claimed that the EFCC had failed to prove any of the charges.
He further stated that Abiodun Agbele, who was reportedly involved in the transactions, was not charged with Fayose.
“With due respect, the predicate offences on which these charges are based do not hold water. Criminal breach of trust and conspiracy are distinct, and no co-conspirator was charged alongside the defendant,” Agabi submitted.
The court agreed and discharged the former governor.
