A former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, on Tuesday
\nadmitted before a Lagos Division of the Federal High Court that he was
\ninvestigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for
\nbeing privy to illicit transfer of funds.<\/p>\n
Mr Obanikoro made the statement while giving evidence in the criminal
\ntrial of the immediate-past Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose,
\nfacing charges of an alleged N6.9billion fraud.<\/p>\n
Mr Fayose was arraigned by the EFCC on October 22, 2018, alongside a
\ncompany, Spotless Investment Ltd, on 11 counts.<\/p>\n
He had pleaded not guilty to the charge, and the court had granted him
\nbail in the sum of N50 million, with one surety in like sum.<\/p>\n
His trial had commenced on November 19, 2018, with the EFCC calling four
\nwitnesses, while the court had then adjourned for the continuation of
\ntrial.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Rotimi Jacobs, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, appeared for the
\nEFCC, while Messrs Ola Olanipekun (SAN) and Olalekan Ojo (SAN) represented
\nthe first and second defendants respectively.
\nMr Obanikoro, the fifth prosecution witness, who began his evidence on
\nJanuary 21, and was cross-examined on February 4, mounted the witness box
\nin continuation of his cross-examination.<\/p>\n
Under cross-examination by the second defendant\u2019s counsel, Mr Ojo, Mr
\nObanikoro told the court that during his tenure as a Commissioner in Lagos
\nin charge of Home Affairs and Culture, he had interfaced with various
\nsecurity agencies in the discharge of his duties.<\/p>\n
According to him, he had sourced for a security outfit known as Sylva
\nMcnamara, owned by one Kareem Taiwo, to the Office of the National
\nSecurity Adviser (NSA), when the need arose to provide for security
\noperations in Lagos State.<\/p>\n
He said the outfit performed credibly and did a good job.<\/p>\n
Mr Ojo then asked the witness, \u201cyou said Kareem Taiwo did a good job,\u2019\u2019
\nwitness replied \u201cYes\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
Mr Ojo: \u201cThen are you not surprised that a petition was still written by
\nthe NSA against both of you, for having gotten money from the NSA
\nillicitly?\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Mr Obanikoro replied in the affirmative and added: \u201cAnd I state that I
\ndeserve a medal of honour for the great work I did in securing Lagos State
\nthen\u2019\u2019.
\nMr Ojo: \u201c\u2019I\u2019m sure you are aware of the offences you were alleged to have
\ncommitted, for which you were granted bail by the EFCC,\u2019\u2019 witness replied
\n`Yes\u2019.<\/p>\n
The defence counsel then asked the witness to tell the court the offence.<\/p>\n
Mr Obanikoro replied: \u201cIt was based on a petition sent by the NSA that
\nabout N4.6 billion or thereabout was sent in an account operated by me,
\nwithout proper documentation\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
Defence counsel: \u201cWill I be right to say that the allegations consisted of
\nfraud?\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Witness: \u201cUntil I see it.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Defence Counsel asked: \u201cAre you still on administrative bail?\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Witness replied: \u201cWell, I have not been discharged, to the best of my
\nknowledge.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Defence counsel: \u201cIt was also alleged that there were no approvals for the
\nfunds alleged to have been transferred to a number of companies listed in
\nexhibit I, including Sylva Mcnamara,\u2019\u2019 the witness replied: \u201ccorrect\u2019\u2019.
\nDefence counsel: \u201cSo I suggest to you that at all material time, you were
\nbeing investigated to have been privy to the illicit transfer of funds.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Witness: \u201cCorrect.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Defence counsel: \u201cTill today, the allegation of illicit transfer of funds
\nhas not been withdrawn against you by the EFCC\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
Witness: \u201cTo the best of my knowledge, you are correct\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
Defence counsel: \u201cDid you produce any document to show the relationship
\nbetween Kareem and the Office of the NSA, contrary to allegations that the
\nNSA does not know him?\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
The witness replied: \u201cNo\u2019\u2019, and added that the Office of the NSA had
\nresponsibility for coordination of security across the nation, some of
\nwhich are clandestine and not documented.<\/p>\n
On who gave instructions to Diamond Bank for the release of N1.2 billion,
\nMr Obanikoro replied that \u201cI was the only person that gave instructions to
\nthe bank\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
Defence counsel: \u201cCan you tell the court by what means you gave the
\ninstruction and to whom?\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Witness: \u201cVerbally, to the then MD of Diamond Bank, Mr Oti\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
Defence counsel: \u201cWas there any time your verbal instruction was reduced
\ninto writing?\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Witness: \u201cNo\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
Defence counsel: \u201cSo, I suggest to you that what you are telling this
\ncourt is that there is no written record for the release of N1.2billion by
\nthe bank\u2019\u2019.
\nWitness: \u201cBecause of the nature of the job\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
Defence counsel: \u201cLook at exhibit E9 -E11\u2019\u2019 and mention the names of the
\nDirectors of Silva Mcnamara\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
Witness : \u201cEzekwe Ikenna, Oshodi Idowu, and Adebiyi Elizabeth\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
Defence Counsel: \u201cWho owns House 9, Layi Bembem, Parkview. Ikoyi?\u2019\u2019
\nWitness: \u201cThat is my house\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
Mr Ojo then said, I suggest to you that Ikenna Ezekwe lived in that house
\nat one time or the other,\u201d<\/p>\n
Witness: \u201cCorrect\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
Subsequently, Mr Ojo sought to tender an extrajudicial statement made by
\nthe then special assistant to Mr Obanikoro, Justin Erukaa, but the
\nprosecutor raised an objection.<\/p>\n
Following the objection by the prosecution, Mojisola Olatoregun, the
\njudge, adjourned the case until February 6 for counsel to address the
\ncourt on the admissibility of an extrajudicial statement.<\/p>\n
According to the charge, on June 17, 2014, Fayose and one Agbele were said
\nto have taken possession of the sum of N1.2 billion, for purposes of
\nfunding his gubernatorial election campaign in Ekiti State, which sum they
\nreasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.<\/p>\n
Fayose was alleged to have received a cash payment of the sum of five
\nmillion dollars, (about N1.8 billion) from the then Minister of State for
\nDefence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, without going through any financial
\ninstitution and which sum exceeded the amount allowed by law.<\/p>\n
He was also alleged to have retained the sum of N300 million in his Zenith
\nBank account and took control of the aggregate sums of about N622 million
\nwhich sum he ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.<\/p>\n
Fayose was alleged to have procured De Privateer Ltd and Still Earth Ltd,
\nto retain in their Zenith and FCMB accounts, the aggregate sums of N851
\nmillion, which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime
\nproceeds.<\/p>\n
Besides, the accused was alleged to have used the aggregate sums of about
\nN1.6 billion to acquire properties in Lagos and Abuja, which sums he
\nreasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.<\/p>\n
The accused was also alleged to have used the sum of N200 million, to
\nacquire a property in Abuja, in the name of his elder sister, Moji
\nOladeji, which sum he ought to know also forms crime proceeds.<\/p>\n
The offences contravene the provisions of Sections 15(1), 15 (2), 15 (3),
\n16(2)(b), 16 (d), and 18 (c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act,
\n2011. (NAN)<\/p>\n
A former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, on Tuesday admitted before a Lagos Division of the Federal High Court that he was investigated by the Economic and Financial…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":64468,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-64465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n