JUST IN: Court Clears Fayose of Money Laundering Charges

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has discharged and acquitted former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose of all charges in the long-standing N6.9bn fraud and money laundering case filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, in a judgment on Tuesday, upheld a no-case submission filed by Fayose’s legal team, ruling that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case that would warrant the former governor to enter a defence.

Fayose was standing trial on an 11-count charge bordering on alleged fraud and money laundering during his tenure as governor, with charges dating back to 2018.

He was initially arraigned by the EFCC shortly after leaving office and re-arraigned in 2019 alongside his company, Spotless Investment Limited.

The EFCC had accused Fayose of receiving N2.2bn from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) through former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, during the 2014 Ekiti governorship election.

According to the anti-graft agency, the funds were part of a broader N6.9bn disbursed for phantom contracts and allegedly laundered by Fayose.

The prosecution said the funds were funnelled through Sylvan McNamara Limited, a company linked to Obanikoro, and delivered in cash to Fayose using bullion vans and private aircraft.

The EFCC alleged that the money was used to acquire high-value properties in Lagos and Abuja, often using associates and shell companies to conceal ownership.

However, despite what the EFCC described as detailed testimonies and a financial trail, Justice Aneke ruled that the prosecution’s evidence was insufficient to sustain the allegations.

The court agreed with the defence’s position that the charges lacked merit and dismissed the case in its entirety.

Fayose, who governed Ekiti State from 2014 to 2018, insisted the funds in question were legitimate campaign contributions from the PDP and not proceeds of corruption.