By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Monday, February 22 granted the former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, leave to travel abroad for medical examination. This is coming after the court had granted him leave on December 4, 2020, to travel for the same purpose.
The embattled Ayodele Fayose has prior to the next adjourned date for continuation of his trial, filed an application seeking leave of the court to travel abroad for medical reasons.
The application which was moved by his counsel on Monday before the trial judge, Justice Chukwujekwu Anele was, however, not opposed by the prosecution.
Granting the application, the judge said that the application is granted as prayed.
“The applicant is hereby granted leave to travel abroad for medical attention and should be in court on the next adjourned date in continuation of his trial.
The judge directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release his international passport, adding that he should return it as soon as he comes back.
Recall that on December 4, 2020, the court granted Fayose leave to travel abroad for medical reasons, following his application to the effect.
Fayose is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over N6.9billion fraud and money laundering charges.
He was first arraigned on October 22. 2018, before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, alongside his company, Spotless Investment Ltd, on 11 counts bordering on fraud and money laundering offences.
He had pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail on October 24, 2018, in the sum of N50 million with sureties in like sum.
The defendant was subsequently, re-arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, on July 2, 2019, after the case was withdrawn from Olatoregun, following EFCC’s petition.
He had also maintained a not guilty stance to the charges and was allowed to continue on the earlier bail granted, while the case was adjourned for trial.
The Commission has since opened its case and is still leading witnesses in evidence.
According to the charge, Fayose and one Abiodun Agbele were said to have on June 27, 2014, taken possession of the sum of N1.2 billion, for purposes of funding his gubernatorial election campaign in Ekiti, which sum they reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.
Fayose was also alleged to have received a cash payment of the sum of five million dollars, (about N1.8 billion) from the then Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, without going through any financial institution.