A Former Minister of State For Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro on Monday told a Federal High Court in Lagos that he was told by a former National Security Adviser Col Sambo Dasuki to transfer $5 million to former Governor of Ekiti state, Peter Ayodele Fayose from Boko Haram special intervention account.
Obanikoro, who was testifying as an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness in the on -going trial of Fayose over allegations of laundering the sum of N1.2 billion, claimed that the $5 million was originally transferred from the imprest account of the NSA into the special intervention account.
The former Minister testified that sometime in June, 2014, just before the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State, he received a call from Fayose, enquiring if he (Obanikoro) had a message for him from Col Dasuki.
Obanikoro said as at that time he has no such message, but shortly after the call a message came from the former NSA instructing him to pay certain amount of money into the account that was opened to manage boko haram threat under his watch as minister of state for defence.
He also claimed that the former NSA informed him that Fayose would call him to instruct him on how to transfer the money to him.
The witness, who was led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, said that when he enquired from the accused person how he wanted the money moved, he was told to move some amount of the money in Naira while the remaining should be sent in dollars.
Obanikoro further testified that Fayose introduced one Biodun Agbele to him as the person to receive the money on his behalf.
According to him, the money was eventually brought in a bullion van to the private wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, where Agbele was already on standby to receive same, adding that after confirmation from the accused person, the money was air lifted to Ekiti State.
He also told the trial judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun,that afterwards, he went to Ado-Ekiti to meet the accused person in his Hotel known as Spotless, and there, he handed him the dollar content which totalled five million dollars.
Obanikoro claimed that he had earlier wanted to transfer the dollars so that the naira equivalent can be withdrawn in Ado Ekiti, “which was the reason why I initially called the Managing Director of Diamond Bank but he told me that the bank does not have such capacity in Ado Ekiti for that huge amount of money.
Obanikoro said that the sum of N200 million was given to Fayose on June 5, 2014 from Col Dasuki’s imprest account
The witness also claimed that the sum of N2 billion was delivered to Fayose during the Ekiti State election in 2014 from NSA’s imprest account on the 16th of June, 2014
He further stated that one of his Aid who is now late was in the meeting where Fayose aknowleged the receipt of the total naira equivalent of $5m at Spotless Hotel, Ado Ekiti, which belonging to the accused person.
After the witness concluded his testimony, Fayose’s lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN) urged the court for a short adjournment to enable him prepare to cross examine him.
Counsel to the second accused person, Spotless Limited, Olalekan Ojo (SAN) also made the same request.
Justice Olatoregun, who had earlier expressed reluctance to grant the adjourned later change her mind and fixed February 4 for the continuation of trial.
According to the EFCC, Fayose and Agbele were said to have on June 17, 2014, taken possession of the sum of N1.2 billion, for purposes of funding his gubernatorial election campaign in Ekiti State, which sum they reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.
Fayose was alleged to have received a cash payment of the sum of five million dollars, (about N1.8 billion) from the then Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, without going through any financial institution and which sum exceeded the amount allowed by law.
The commission accused the former governor of taken possession of the sum of N1.2 billion on June 17, 2014 for purposes of funding his gubernatorial election campaign in Ekiti State, which sum they reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.
The EFCC also alleged that Fayose received a cash payment of the sum of five million dollars, (about N1.8 billion) from the then Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, without going through any financial institution and which sum exceeded the amount allowed by law.
The commission further claimed that the accused persons allegedly retained the sum of N300 million in his Zenith Bank account and took control of the aggregate sums of about N622 million which sum he ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.
Fayose was alleged to have procured De Privateer Ltd and Still Earth Ltd, to retain in their Zenith and FCMB accounts, the aggregate sums of N851 million which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.
The accused persons was also alleged to have used the aggregate sums of about N1.6 billion to acquire properties in Lagos and Abuja, which sums he reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.
The accused was also alleged to have used the sum of N200 million, to acquire a property in Abuja, in the name of his elder sister Moji Oladeji, which sum he ought to know also forms crime proceeds.
The offences contravenes the provisions of sections 15(1), 15 (2), 15 (3), 16(2)(b), 16 (d), and 18 (c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.
The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.