Headlines
Alleged N6.9bn fraud: Witness reveals how Fayose’s associate bought properties worth N1.3bn in four months

Owolola Adebola
The eleventh prosecution witness, PW11, Joanne Tolulope, in the ongoing trial of a former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, on Wednesday, December 1st 2021, told Justice Chukujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos how Fayose’s associate, Abiodun Agbele, had bought properties worth N1.3 billion within four months.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC,)Lagos Command had, on Tuesday, July 2, 2019, re-arraigned Fayose on an 11-count charge bordering on money laundering and stealing to the tune of N6.9bn( Six Billion Nine Hundred Naira).
Fayose was arraigned alongside one of his firms, Spotless Investment Limited, for the alleged fraud.
The defendants had first been arraigned on October 22, 2018, before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun.
At the resumed sitting on Wednesday, Tolulope, who was led in evidence by the counsel to the prosecution, Rotimi Jacobs, (SAN,) told the court that Agbele bought four chalets from her company, Still Earth Limited, between March and July 2015.
The witness, who is an in-house counsel for Still Earth Limited, also told the court that the company deals in real estate and also renovates properties to meet the needs and expected standards of their clients.
According to her, Agbele had put a call to the company, sometime between March and July 2015, to ask if they had properties for sale.
She said: “Incidentally, we have properties for sale. We discussed Mr. Agbele’s availability to come for an inspection.
“He came sometime in March 2015 to inspect the property and requested two chalets of three-bedroom and four-bedroom respectively and paid N575 million and some fractions for the property.
“Again, in July 2015, he approached us and bought chalets 6 and 9 for N573 million and some figures.
“He also approached us to register the Deed of Assignment in the name of JJ Technical Service.”
However, when Jacobs sought to tender the Deed of Assignment as an exhibit before the court, counsel to the defendant, Ola Olanipekun, (SAN) objected to its admissibility.
When asked how the money was paid, Tolulope told the court that the sum of N800 million was deposited by De Privateer Limited into the account of Still Earth Ltd, adding that there was a cash lodgment of the sum of N209 million from one Taofeek on Agbele’s instruction.
In her further testimony, she said: “ In January 2015, the sum of N105,750,000, was received from Capital Field Investment and Trust Limited.
“ The sum of N39,500,000 was received from Hoss Concept.
“Also, another N40 million was received from De Privateer Limited.
“ In February 2015, De Privateer Limited paid N200 million, while the sum of N132,500,000 was paid by a company called Sam Chase.”
The case has been adjourned to Thursday, December 2, 2021.
Headlines
House of Reps gives NIMASA green light to disburse CVFF –appoints audit firm to coordinate, monitor disbursement

“Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Legor Idagbo – Chairman ii. Hon. Henry Nwawuba – Member iii. | Mrs. Kehinde Bolade Olaiya – Committee Clerk.
Headlines
President Tinubu appoints Gbajabiamila Chief of Staff

An authoritative source in the Presidency confirmed the development on Thursday.
The source said the president finally made the decision after wide consultations on the contending candidates.
Gbajabiamila has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2012 and has just been re-elected to the House in the last elections.
The choice of Gbajabiamila by the president is not a surprise to many political pundits as he has been a very close ally to the president.
They are part of the brains behind the formation of the All-Progressives Party (APC).
He will now have to forgo his seat in the House of Representatives if he accepts the appointment.
Olufemi Hakeem Gbajabiamila CFR, is a Nigerian lawyer and foundation member of the APC.
He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2019.
Gbajabiamila was born in Lagos in 1962 and attended Igbobi College for his secondary education and the University of Lagos as part of his education.
He is married to Salamatu Gbajabiamila.
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“The death of Ray came as a big shock to the union.
“We are going to miss his courageous attributes and mentorship.
“He was also one of the pillars of the Lagos Council of NUJ and served the union meritoriously in his capacities as the Chairman of, the Seminar Committee; and as a Member, the Committee on Milestone Recognition of Media Icons In Nigeria.
“He spent most of his life in ensuring the advancement of Maritime Reporting as well as the welfare of Journalists.
“He worked in several media houses.
“Among his giant strides, he was a former President of the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN); President, Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria (MAJAN); and a former Chairman of the Daily Times Chapel of NUJ.
“The legacies of Ray are indelible and will exist forever.
“May God grant his soul eternal rest” the Lagos NUJ said in a statement signed by Leye Ajayi, the Council Chairman and Tunde Olalere, the Council Secretary.
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