Victory At Last! Fayose Acquitted Of N6.9bn Fraud, Breaks Down In Court

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, was visibly emotional on Wednesday as the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, acquitted him of all charges relating to the alleged N6.9 billion fraud case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to iReporter Online, the courtroom witnessed a dramatic moment when Fayose knelt outside the premises, offering a heartfelt prayer of thanksgiving to God after the ruling.

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, who presided over the case, upheld the no-case submission filed by Fayose’s legal team, stating that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the former governor and his company, Spotless Investment Limited. According to iReporter Online, the EFCC had initially re-arraigned Fayose on July 2, 2019, on 11 counts bordering on money laundering and theft. The case was first filed in 2018 before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun.

Fayose’s lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), argued that the absence of a co-defendant such as Abiodun Agbele, who was allegedly involved in the transactions, weakened the EFCC’s case. He stated that criminal conspiracy must involve at least two accused persons, which was not demonstrated in this instance. Counsel to Spotless Investment Limited, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), also supported the no-case submission.

On the other hand, EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), insisted the defendants should be compelled to explain several suspicious financial dealings. He cited the testimony of an EFCC investigator, Abubakar Madaki, who claimed Fayose used proxies to acquire properties both in Nigeria and abroad. Jacobs also pointed to evidence provided by former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, who alleged that Fayose personally requested and coordinated the disbursement of the funds.

However, in his final judgment, Justice Aneke ruled that none of the claims presented by the EFCC sufficiently tied Fayose to criminal conduct. According to iReporter Online, the ruling has been described by legal observers as a significant setback for the anti-graft agency, which has now vowed to appeal the verdict after obtaining the certified true copy (CTC) of the judgment.

Fayose, who had endured a seven-year legal battle, thanked his legal team and declared that justice had finally prevailed.

”IREPORTER REPORTS”