By Innocent Anaba & Gbenga Ariyibi
Posted to the Web: Thursday, July 27, 2006

But in a swift reaction, Governor Fayose alleged he was being persecuted on account of the 2007 gubernatorial race. He vowed to remain unintimidated.
The accused persons’ plea was not taken yesterday following an objection by their counsel, who argued that they (the accused) had just been served with the charges and they needed to go through same before they could enter their plea. This prompted the court to adjourn reading of the charges to the accused persons.

The 15-count charge filed against the four accused persons reads:
That you Mr. Gbenga James on February 19, 2005 at 15 Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos within the Lagos Judicial Division of the court with intent to mislead made a false statement under caution to Abubakar Madaki, an official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that you did not give Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State any money out of the money received by Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited for the Ekiti State Integrated Poultry Project and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 39(2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Act 2004

*That you Mr Goke Olatunji on July 24, 2006 at 15 Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos within the Lagos Judicial Division of the court with intent to mislead, made a false statement under caution to Abubakar Madaki, an official of EFCC that you did not receive any money from Gbenga James and Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited for onward transmission to Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 39(2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Act 2004.

*That you Gbenga James and Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited sometime in 2004 within the Lagos Judicial Division of the court while being holders of a contract named Ekiti State Integrated Poultry Project entered into with the Ekiti State Government, converted the sum of N1.25m, the amount meant for the execution of the contract, to the construction of Governor Ayodele Fayose’s House at Ibadan knowing the said sum represented the proceeds of a crime and with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1 4(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004.

*That you Gbenga James and Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited sometime in 2004 within the Lagos Judicial Division of the court while being holder of a contract named Ekiti State Integrated Poultry Project entered into with the Ekiti State Government, expended the sum of N9.25m the amount for the execution of the contract on the construction of Governor Ayodele Fayose’s House at Ibadan knowing the said sum of N9.25m to represent the proceeds of a crime and with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004.

*That you Gbenga James and Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited on or about September 4, 2004 within the Lagos Judicial Division of the court while being holder of a contract named Ekiti State Integrated Poultry project entered into with the Ekiti State Government, transferred the sum of N4m from the amount meant for the execution of the contract to Avian Specialities Nigeria Limited knowing the said sum of N4 million to represent the proceeds of a crime and with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1 4(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004.

*That you Gbenga James and Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited on or about the 28th of April 2004 within the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court while being holders of a contract named Ekiti State Integrated Poultry Project entered into with the Ekiti State Government, transferred the sum of N55,636,171.15 from the amount meant for the execution of the contract to Specialities Nigeria Limited knowing the said sum of N55,636,171.15 to represent tile proceeds of a crime and with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceed and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(J) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004

*That you Avian Specialities Nigeria Limited on or about April 28, 2004 within the Lagos Judicial Division of the court collaborated with Gbenga James and Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited through the receipt from the said Gbenga James and Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited the sum of N5 5,636,171.15 from the amount meant for the execution of Ekiti State Integrated Poultry Project contract with the aim of concealing the nature and origin of the said sum and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004.

*That you Avian Specialities Nigeria Limited on or about September 4, 2004 within the Lagos Judicial Division of the court collaborated with Gbenga James and Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited through the receipt from the said (Gbenga James and Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited the sum of N4m the amount meant for the execution of the Ekiti State Integrated poultry Project contract with the aim of concealing the nature and origin of the said sum and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of the Money .Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004.

*That you Gbenga James and Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited, sometime in 2004, within the Lagos Judicial Division of the court while being holder of a contract named Ekiti State Integrated Poultry Project entered into with the Ekiti State Government transferred the sum of N7million from the amount meant for the execution of the contract, converted it to 37,600 pounds sterling and gave the same to Governor Ayodele Fayose and Goke Olatunji, his Personal Assistant knowing the said sum of N7m represent the proceed of a crime and with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceed and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004.

*That you Goke Olatunji on or about September 4, 2004 within the Lagos Judicial Division of the court collaborated with Gbenga James and Biological Concepts Nigeria Ltd through the receipt from the said Gbenga James and Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited the sum of N7m from the amount meant for the execution of the Ekiti State Integrated Poultry Project contract with the aim of concealing the nature and origin of the said sum and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1 4(I) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004.

*That you Gbenga James and Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited, sometime in 2004, within the Lagos Judicial Division of the court while being holders of a contract named Ekiti State Integrated Poultry Project entered into with the Ekiti State Government transferred the sum of N7m from the amount meant for the execution of the contract, converted it to $50,000 and gave the same to Governor Ayodele Fayose and Goke Olatunji, his Personal Assistant knowing the said sum of N7m to represent the proceed of a crime and with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004.

*That you Goke Olatunji sometime in 2004 within the Lagos Judicial division of the court collaborated with Gbenga James and Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited through the receipt from the said Gbenga James and Biological Concept Nigeria Limited the sum of N7m from the amount meant for the execution of the Ekiti State Integrated Poultry Project contract with the aim of concealing the nature and origin of the said sum and thereby committed an offence punishable, under Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004.

*That you Gbenga James and Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited sometime in 2004 within the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court while being holders of a contract named Ekiti State Integrated Poultry Project entered into with the Ekiti State Government, expended the sum of N2.1m from the amount meant for the execution of the contract, on the purchase of a Mercedez Benz car for the mother of Governor Ayodele Fayose, knowing the same sum of N2.1m to represent the proceeds of a crime and with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004.

*That you Gbenga James and Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited on or about May 26, 2004, within the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court while being holders of a contract named Ekiti State Integrated Poultry Project entered into with the Ekiti State Government transferred the sum of N10m from the amount meant for the execution of the contract to Governor Adedele Fayose, knowing the said sum of N7m to represent the proceeds of a crime and with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004.

*That you Gbenga James and Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited on or about September 29, 2004, within the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court while being holders of a contract named Ekiti State Integrated Poultry Project entered into with the Ekiti State Government transferred the sum of N1.5m from the amount meant for the execution of the contract to Chief Boboye Olanipekun knowing the said sum of N1.5m to represent the proceeds of a crime and with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of the Money laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004.

Fayose reacts

But in a chat with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, Governor Fayose alleged that he was being persecuted because of the 2007 governorship election. He vowed that he would not be intimidated. He would not comment on the arrest and trial of his personal assistant, Goke Olatunji, saying to do otherwise was subjudice.

Fayose said he was forced to cry out because of the conduct of his political opponents who he said were bent on destroying him politically, by denting his image ahead of the 2007 governorship election.

He said: “I want to recall my ordeal before the 2003 governorship election. There was a coalition of strange bed fellows who cooked up a story that I did not have the minimum certificate to lead the people of the state. When the thing got to court, the court proved them wrong.

“I am not surprised that when another election is coming up, especially when PDP primary is about four months away my opponents have gone to the field. But definitely, God would not make it possible for them.”

On the allegation that he instructed the State House of Assembly to review the state chieftaincy law with a view to removing the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, Fayose said he did not need to review the law before an erring Oba could be removed.
He, however, added that though himself and the monarch were not having the best of relationship, the development had not reached a point he (Ewi) could be queried or removed, adding that there was still ample opportunity for reconciliation.

On whether a date had been chosen for the reconciliatory meeting initiated by President Olusegun Obasanjo, Governor Fayose said no date had been fixed, adding that he would be prepared for the reconciliatory meeting on any date chosen by the President.