The first prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Biodun Agbele, an associate to governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state on Wednesday told a Federal High Court in Abuja that he served on the inauguration committee of Fayose’s administration.
The witness, Sunday Alade who is the bank manager of the Akure branch of Zenith Bank Plc said he was appointed to serve on the committee by the zonal manager of the bank, Abiodun Oshode.
The witness, under cross examination by Agbele’s counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) said his appointment to serve on the inauguration committee was communicated to him via a letter dated September 9, 2014 and that there was no objection to his appointment by anybody.
Ozekhome tendered the appointment letter and the acknowledgement of the witness as exhibits before the court, even as the witness said the bank was looking forward to a good business relationship with the Ekiti state government.
The star prosecution witness had in November last year given a vivid breakdown of how the sum of N1.2 billion was paid into Fayose’s account in different tranches.
The witness had told the court that the sum of N90 million was paid into Governor Fayose’s account on June 23 2014 and another N2.5 million on June 11, 2014.
Sunday who was cross examined by Agbele’s counsel told the court that another N1 million was paid into Fayose’s account on June 2, 2014 while another N895, 315 was paid into the account on June 5, 2014.
The witness however agreed with Ozekhome that the account was in a very active state and that the monies were paid into the account before Fayose became the governor of Ekiti State.
“The money was packed in Ghana must go and grey trampoline bags in two aircraft. It took us about 45 minutes to off load the bags from the aircraft with the assistance of Oluolu Omotosho, and some security guards that followed Agbele whose name I cannot remember.
“After our discussion at the airport with the former minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro and Agbele, one Adewale A.O who introduced himself as the ADC to Obanikoro accompanied us and insisted that the monies be counted.
“It was after we counted the money that we deposited it into the various account numbers he gave us including that of governor Fayose”, the witness said and gave a narration of how Agbele instructed that another N263 million be transported to Ado Ekiti and however maintained that he did not follow Olaolu to Ado Ekiti with the money.
The trial judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba adjourned trial to January 25, 26, and 27, 2017 for the continuation of trial.
Agbele was arraigned alongside former minister of Defense for state, Musiliu Obanikoro (in absentia), Sylvan Mcnamara Limited, A. O. Adewale, Tunde Oshinowo and Olalekan Ogunseye (all at large) before the court on an 11-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N1.2 billion, allegedly transferred from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), by the former NSA, Col Sambo Mohammed Dasuki (retd).
The said sum was alleged to be part of the N4.7 billion that was mysteriously transferred from the imprest account of the Office of the National Security Adviser to the bank account of Sylvan McNamara, a company allegedly owned by the sons of a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.
Obanikoro allegedly took N1.2 billion from the N4.7 billion and flew it to Akure during the build-up to the governorship election in Ekiti State and handed the sum to Agbele for onward transfer to Fayose.
The trial court, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba adjourned the matter till today for continuation of trial.
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