EFCC seizes N1.350b properties from Fayose

The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) has seized six
choice properties allegedly acquired
by Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti
State with stolen public funds.

The duplexes, estimated at
N1.350billion include four in Lagos
and two in Abuja.
They were allegedly acquired for him by his associate, Abiodun Agbele and sister. Mrs. Moji Ladeji. A furious Mrs. Ladeji has approached
the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti
laying claim to one of the Abuja
duplexes.

EFCC, according to impeccable
sources, believe that the properties
were bought with public funds
including the N1.219billion slush
fund from the Office of the National
Security Adviser (ONSA) handed over to Fayose by former Minister of
Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro, and
bribe money from contractors. Part of the funds came from the
N4.745billion which was paid into
Obanikoro’s company, Sylva
Mcnamara by ONSA for the 2014 Ekiti governorship poll.

Operatives of the anti-graft
commission have located and
marked the duplexes as follows: 44,
Osun Crescent and 32, Yedseram
Street in Maitama, Abuja; and houses
3, 4, 6, and 9 in Plot 100, Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

EFCC sources said the funds were
wired to pay for the duplexes. While the duplex on Osun Crescent
was allegedly bought for
N200million from Skye Bank Plc, the
one located in Yedseram Street in
Abuja was purchased for
N270million from a businessman, Rabi Kundili.

All the houses in Lagos were paid for by Abiodun Agbele, the detained
associate of the governor who is
currently under investigation.
Agbele allegedly paid over N880
million for the Lagos properties.

Sources said the duplexes were
“acquired within 180 days in office
by Fayose.”
“We have discovered that he paid for the houses through his associate’s company, De-Privateer Limited of Agbele.

“De-Privateer remitted slush funds
into three accounts including FCMB
(0519693019), First Bank of Nigeria
(1000070240) and Zenith Bank
(1014016919).

“The payments were made as follows:

First Bank—N40m (29/1/15);
N39.5m (30/1/15);
N132.5 (30/1/ 15);
N3.2m (4/2/15);
N980, 000(4/2/15);
N200m (17/2/15);
N47m (13/2/15);
N50m (13/2/15).

“The lodgements in an account in
Zenith Bank (1014016919) included
N42.5m (9/4/15);
N25m (23/4/15);
N229m (6/3/15).

“About N200million was paid into FCMB account 0519693019 on March 9, 2015.” He said the anti-graft agency seized the properties by invoking sections 28 and 34 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004 and Section 13(1) of the Federal High Court Act, 2004 which
empowers the anti-graft agency to invoke Interim Assets Forfeiture
Clause.

“Section 28 of the EFCC Act reads:
‘Where a person is arrested for an
offence under this Act, the
Commission shall immediately trace and attach all the assets and
properties of the person acquired as a result of such economic or financial crime and shall thereafter cause to be obtained an interim attachment order from the Court.’ Section 13 of the Federal High Court
Act reads in part: “The Court may
grant an injunction or appoint a
receiver by an interlocutory order in
all cases in which it appears to the
Court to be just or convenient so to do.
(2) “Any such order may be made
either unconditionally or on such
terms and conditions as the Court
thinks just.”

The source added: “One of the
suspects in custody, Agbele, has
been linked to the purchase of most
of all these properties. In fact, funds
for the purchase of these mansions
were laundered through the account of Agbele’s company called De-Privateer.

“Since the houses are under investigation, we have decided to
invoke the assets forfeiture clause in
our Act.”

Responding to a question, the source said:
“The EFCC has secured a fresh court order to keep Agbele in
custody because the on-going
investigation has not been
concluded. “So, the governor’s associate is still in
detention because we have invited
more people linked with the money
laundering for the governor.”

The source confirmed that Fayose’s
sister, Mrs. Moji Ladeji has filed an affidavit in court claiming that she is
the real owner of the property on
Osun Crescent, Maitama District,
Abuja.

“We will meet her in court with all the evidence at our disposal,” the source added. The EFCC had secured a court order
from Justice M. B. Idris of the Federal
High Court, Lagos to freeze the
accounts of Fayose, a development
which the governor is already
challenging in court. In an affidavit by an Investigating Officer, Tosin Owobo, the commission said:

“That the chairman of the
Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission in the exercise of his
statutory mandate contained in Section 34 of the EFCC Act having
satisfied himself that the various
sums of money in the account No.
1003126654, 9013074033,
1010170969 and 1013835888
domiciled with the 2nd Respondent were made through the commission
of the an economic and financial
crimes to wit: stealing and receiving
gratification approached the Federal
High Court Lagos Judicial Division, for an order directing the Manager ofthe 2nd Respondent to freeze the said accounts.

“That in his wisdom, Hon. Justice M.B Idris granted the 1st Respondent’s application wherein an order of interim attachment was made on the aforementioned accounts. Attached and marked exhibit EFCC 09 is a certified true copy of the said order.
“That the said order was a
preservative order to prevent further dissipation of proceeds of crimes.”

The EFCC also had succeeded in
establishing money laundering link
between Fayose and Agbele.
Investigation revealed as follows;

“The N1, 219, 490,000 was not
deposited in any account but it was kept in a vault in the bank. It took
the bank officials about 10 days to
count. The bankers refused to make
entry until it was counted.

“Shortly after confirming the figure,
Abiodun was used to coordinate the disbursement of the funds. On June
26, 2014, the wanted associate
(Abiodun Agbele) paid N137million
into Ayodele Fayose’s account
10003126654 with Zenith Bank
through Teller-0556814. Fayose’s BVN on the teller is 22338867502.
On August 22, 2014, he paid
N50million into the same account.

By the records from the bank, Abiodunpaid another N118, 760,000 into Fayose’s account on 27/8/14.

“Based on the transfers, Fayose
moved N300million to a Fixed
Deposit Account No 9013074033
with Zenith Bank at 15, Olusola
Abiona Street, Olorunda Estate,
Alapere Ketu. He has the same BVN-22338867502.

“After that, Abiodun deposited
another N100million from the N1,
219, 490,000 into Spotless Hotel
Account run by Fayose and his wife,
Helen Olayemi Fayose with Account No. 1010170969, Fayose’s BVN is
223338867502 and his wife’s BVN
in the account is 22298990256.
“The governor and his wife are the
two directors and signatories of
Spotless Hotel account.”

In the course of the investigation, the EFCC team dug up how De Privateer Limited (a company owned by Abiodun Agbele) with Account No. 1013835889 received the sum of N219, 490,000 on June 18, 2014.

“On June 19, 2014, the same account received N300million and another N200million on June 23, 2014. The BVN of the account is
22235692890.”

The Nation