The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has seized some properties said to
belong to Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State.
It
was learnt that the properties located in the highbrow areas of Lagos and Abuja
were seized as part of investigations into the N1.219bn the governor allegedly
received from the Office of the National Security Adviser when Col. Sambo
Dasuki (retd) held sway, through a former Minister of State for Defence,
Musiliu Obanikoro, as well as some kickbacks he (Fayose) allegedly received
from the Ekiti State Government contractors.
Investigators said that the
seized houses belonging to Fayose were allegedly purchased with stolen funds
and the EFCC invoked the Assets Forfeiture clause to seize the properties in
line with Sections 28 and 34 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004 and Section
13(1) of the Federal High Court Act, 2004.
The
seizure came less than a month after the governor’s three Zenith Bank accounts
were frozen by the anti-graft agency.
On
a visit to two of the properties on 32 Yedseram Street and 44 Osun River
Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, observed the inscriptions ‘EFCC, Keep Off’ on the
fences.
According
to court documents filed by the EFCC, the property on Osun River Crescent was
bought by Fayose in the name of his London-based sister, Mrs. Moji Ladeji.
The
governor reportedly pulled down the structure of one of the Abuja properties
and started building a new one.
The
two properties, which are uncompleted buildings, were said to be worth over
N470m.
It was learnt that the properties in Lagos were
four duplexes located at Plot 100 Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island. The
four duplexes cost $1.3m (N364m) each.
They
were allegedly bought through a company, JJ Technical.
The
EFCC had in a 10-paragraph counter-affidavit deposed to by Tosin Owobo accused
Fayose of using the proceeds of crime to purchase properties.
The
affidavit read in part, “Apart from fraudulently retaining the sum of N1,
219,490,000 being part of the N4, 745,000,000 stolen from the treasury of the
Federal Government through the Office of the National Security Adviser, the
applicant (Fayose) has also received gratification in form of kickbacks from
various contractors with the Ekiti State Government such as Samchese Nigeria
Ltd, Tender Branch Concept Nig. Ltd, Hoff Concept Ltd and Calibre Consulting Ltd.
“The
applicant (Fayose) received these kickbacks and gratification through Still
Earth Ltd and Signachorr Nigeria Limited. In turn, the applicant (Fayose)
instructed the Still Earth Ltd and Signachoor Nigeria Limited to use the funds
to acquire properties for him.
“In
complying with the applicant’s instruction, Still Earth Limited and Signachoor
Nigeria Limited acquired properties on behalf of the applicant (Fayose) in the
name of a company known as J.J Technical Services Limited belonging to the
applicant (Fayose) and his wife (Feyisetan).
“That
the applicant (Fayose) also used the name of one Mrs. Moji Ladeji (the
applicant’s sister) to acquire a property situated at 44, Osun Crescent,
Maitama Abuja, from the proceeds of the alleged offences of receiving gratification
and kickbacks.”
In
his reaction, however, Fayose said all properties linked to him were not bought
with stolen funds.
In
a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media,
Lere Olayinka, the governor said any property that might be linked to him or
his company was “bought legitimately and his properties were duly declared in
his assets declaration form and sources of such funds were not illicit.”
He
said since the money he got for his election was from legitimate sources and
not from the ONSA, “how the money was spent remained his own business and not
that of anyone.”
Mrs.
Oyin Daramola, an estate agent and owner of Still Earth Ltd, was quoted as
telling investigators that she indeed sold the Victoria Island properties to
Fayose. She said she rejected the idea of receiving payment through contracts.
Tags
Politics