A former Minister of State for Defence, Mr Musiliu Obanikoro, on Tuesday, narrated before a Federal High Court in Lagos State how N1.2 billion was allegedly taken to former Gov Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti, using an aircraft.
Fayose is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged fraud and money laundering.
He was first arraigned on October 22, 2018, before Justice Mojisola Olatotegun alongside his company, Spotless Investment Ltd on 11 counts.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail on October 24, 2018, in the sum of N50 million with sureties in like sum.
The defendant was, however, re-arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke on July 2, 2019, after the case was withdrawn from Justice Olatoregun following EFCC’s petition.
Fayose also pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was allowed to continue on the bail earlier granted.
The EFCC has since opened its case before Justice Aneke and is still leading witnesses in evidence.
In December 2021, the commission called its 11th witness, one Mrs Joanne Tolulope, who narrated how one Abiodun Agbele, said to be an associate of Fayose, allegedly bought property worth millions of Naira for the defendants.
When the case was called on Tuesday, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) announced appearance for EFCC.
Messrs Ola Olanipekun (SAN) and Olalekan Ojo (SAN) announced appearances for the first and second defendants, respectively.
Olanipekun then called on the 12th prosecution witness, Obanikoro, to testify.
Obanikoro told the court that when he was the Minister of State for Defence, he operated a company known as Sivan Mcmera which was later utilised for purposes of security operations in Lagos.
He told the court that it was aimed at shutting out terrorists’ activities from the state, following intelligence reports.
He, however, said that before he became a minister, the said company was operated by his son.
Obanikoro testified that his son resigned as the director of the company and the operator of its bank account when it became used for security purposes.
He said that he consequently became the operator of the account.
According to him, domestic security for clandestine operations in Lagos State was also employed to shut out activities of terrorists.
Besides, the witness told the court that the security operations were funded by the Office of the National Security Adviser.
On whether he knew one late Mr Kareem Taiwo, he replied in the affirmative, adding that the said Taiwo was part of those who helped out with security operations.
When asked by the prosecution counsel to look through Exhibit E Series and explain the transaction of June 5, 2014, and how it related to the instant case, the witness told the court that there was inflow of N200 million into the account from the office of the NSA.
He told the court that although he could not recall exactly how it came in, he could see from the exhibit that there was inflow of N200 million on June 5, 2014 and N2 billion on June 16, 2014 from an impress account of the NSA.
He further told the court that he had received a call from Fayose, who was then a governorship candidate in Ekiti, asking if he had received any money from the Office of the NSA.
The witness told the court that he replied, `No’, and promised to get back to the defendant if the money arrived.
He said that when the money eventually dropped, he informed the defendant and asked how he wanted it sent.
Obanikoro testified that Fayose indicated that part of it should be in dollars and the other in Naira.
The witness told the court that he then called Ado-Ekiti to find out from a bank if it had the the amount but was informed that the branch did not have.
He told the court that since elections were fast approaching at the time, he had to take the money by aircraft from Lagos.
He said that the money was carried in two batches.