A prosecution witness, Sunday Oluseye Alade, in the ongoing trial of a former governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, on Monday, April 15, 2019, told Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos how the defendant and his company had received a sum of N1,219,000,000 from Zenith Bank, Akure Branch in the build-up to the state’s governorship election in 2014.
Mr Ayodele Fayose was arraigned alongside his company, Spotless Investment Limited, on October 22, 2018, on an 11-count charge bordering on fraud and money laundering.
In his testimony, Sunday Alade, Head, Business Development and Safety, Zenith Bank, Akure branch, Ondo State, said: “On June 17, 2014, I received a call from my Head of Operations, Abiodun Osode, that a customer of the bank would be coming to make a deposit into his account with the bank.
“Mr Ayodele Fayose also instructed me to provide security as well as the bullion van movement team to pick up the cash from the airport.
“We were later instructed to proceed to the airport, where there would be other mobile policemen and soldiers.
“Mr. Osode also called me and introduced one Abiodun Agbele to me, before we all left for the airport.
“At the airport, I was also introduced to Mr. Adewale .O, who was the Aide-De-Camp, ADC, to the then Minister of State, Musiliu Obanikoro.
“We had to go twice, as two different planes brought in the money.
“While it was being bundle-counted, a sum of One Billion Two, Hundred and Nineteen Million (N1, 219,000,000.00) was taken to Zenith Bank, Akure Branch.
“I gathered that the cash was lodged into three accounts namely: De-privateer Limited, Spotless Investment Limited and Ayodele Fayose accounts.
“I also understand that part of the money was taken away that day by Mr. Agbele.”