Fayose Denies Culpability, Tells Court He Has No Case to Answer in Alleged N2.2bn Fraud Trial

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, on Monday told the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos that he has no case to answer in the ongoing trial over an alleged N2.2 billion fraud.

Fayose, who served as Ekiti governor from 2014 to 2018, is facing trial alongside his company, Spotless Investment Limited, on an 11-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The charges border on conspiracy and money laundering, with the EFCC alleging that Fayose received illicit funds to support his 2014 gubernatorial campaign.

At the resumed hearing, Fayose’s legal counsel filed a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case that required the former governor to enter a defense.

The defense insisted that the evidence presented so far did not link Fayose directly to any criminal wrongdoing.

The EFCC alleges that in June 2014, Fayose received N1.219 billion and $5 million from the then Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro. The funds were allegedly part of a larger N4.65 billion diverted from the Office of the National Security Adviser under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Since his arraignment in October 2018, Fayose has maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The case has seen several adjournments, partly due to the absence of key prosecution witnesses, including Obanikoro.

Earlier in the proceedings, Fayose was granted bail in the sum of N50 million and required to surrender his international passport. Despite the delays, his legal team continues to challenge the merit of the prosecution’s case.

In a related development, a Lagos court had previously upheld a similar no-case submission filed by Abiodun Agbele, an associate of Fayose, who was also on trial for laundering N1.219 billion linked to the same alleged fraud.

The trial judge is expected to rule on Fayose’s no-case submission in the coming weeks.

If upheld, the former governor will be discharged from the charges without presenting a defense.