Fayose’s fraud case suspended, seven ex-govs on trial – EFCC

                     

The Head of Media and Publicity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, has said the alleged fraud case against the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has been suspended as a result of his election and current status.

The EFCC spokesman also said the commission’s cases against seven ex-governors on money laundering and related cases are ongoing in various courts in the country.

Uwujaren said this during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday that the commission also recovered N65,320,669,350.35 between 2012 and 2014 and $245, 952,030.13 during the period.

The ex-governors, according to him, are Chimaroke Nnamani, Orji Kalu, Joshua Dariye, Abubakar Audu, Danjuma Goje, Akwe Doma and Rev. Jolly Nyame.

“The cases involving former Kogi State governor, Abubakar Audu; former Gombe State governor, Danjuma Goje; former Nasarawa State Governor, Akwe Doma; and former Taraba State governor, Rev. Jolly Nyame, are progressing in courts as several witnesses have been called by the prosecution.

“Of course, the case against Ayodele Fayose has only been temporarily halted by the fact of his re-election as Ekiti State governor,” he added

He added that while Orji Kalu was still challenging the competence of the commission to file charges against him, Joshua Dariye had been ordered to go on trial by the Supreme Court, where he had contested the verdict of the Court of Appeal that the commission could file charges against him.

Uwujaren said the commission had closed the cases against three ex-governors — Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State, who was convicted but got state pardon; Chief James Ibori of Delta State, who is serving a jail term in the United Kingdom and ex-governor Lucky Igbinedion of Edo State, who was also convicted.

The EFCC spokesman debunked an alleged claim by a dismissed member of staff of the EFCC that the commission had not achieved anything during a Policy Dialogue of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos.

He said, “Between 2012 and 2014, the commission recovered N65,320,669,350.35.

“Also, the sum of $245, 952,030.13 and 693, 399.00 Euro was also recovered during the period.”