Court Frees Former Ekiti State Governor Fayose Of ₦69 Billion Fraud Charges

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has been cleared of all money laundering and theft charges amounting to ₦6.9 billion by the Federal High Court in Lagos.

The case, which had dragged on since 2018, ended on Wednesday after Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke ruled in favour of Fayose. The court upheld a no-case submission filed by his defence team, stating that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed to prove the allegations or link Fayose directly to the alleged crimes.

The EFCC had accused Fayose of receiving ₦1.2 billion for his 2014 election campaign, claiming the funds were illegally provided by a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro. It also alleged that Fayose collected $5 million in cash and laundered more than ₦1.6 billion through companies linked to him, including De Privateer Ltd and Still Earth Ltd.

Fayose was first brought before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun in 2018 before the case was reassigned to Justice Aneke. Throughout the trial, the EFCC presented several witnesses and documents in an attempt to back its claims.

At the final hearing, Fayose’s lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), argued that the prosecution failed to tie the funds to any wrongdoing on Fayose’s part. He also raised questions about the role of Abiodun Agbele, who was reportedly central to the transactions but was never charged.

After reviewing the evidence and submissions, the court found no reason to compel Fayose to open a defence. Justice Aneke ruled that the EFCC had not established a solid case against the former governor and therefore discharged him of all charges.

The decision marks a major legal victory for Fayose, who had consistently denied the accusations since the beginning of the case.