There was heavy presence of armed policemen around the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti on Thursday as former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose, was arraigned afresh before Justice Adamu Hobon of the Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti.
The policemen were led to the court by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Victor Nosa, and the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of operations, Mr. Ududo Adat.
One lane of the road in front of the court was condoned off with an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), while entrances to the court were blocked and manned by armed policemen.
Some Television cameramen and reporters were initially prevented from entering the court premises by some policemen before the intervention of the Chairman of the state Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Mr. Laolu Omosilade and the Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Mr Victor Babayemi.
The former governor pleaded not guilty to the 27 count charges read to him in the further amended charge presented to the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Count one of the charges read, ” That you Mr. Ayodele Fayose sometime in the year 2004 within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, did convert the sum of N20 million to construct your personal house at Ibadan which formed part of money entrusted in the hand of Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited as a consultant to the Ekiti State Government in the execution of Ekiti State Integrated Poultry Project Scheme , and which sum you new represented the proceed of crime, with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceed of the said crime and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14 (1) of Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2004.”
Counsel for the accused person, Mr. Owoseni Ajayi, raised preliminary objection to the charges preferred against Fayose.
Counsel for the EFCC, Mr. Adebisi Adeniyi, did not raise any objection to the bail for former governor saying there was no need to do so since the judge who formerly was in charge of the case had admitted Fayose to bail.
Adeniyi, however, told the court that Fayose had not been complying with one of the bail conditions that he should deposit his travel passport with the registrar of the court.
Counsel for the accused person argued that depositing the passport with the court could prove to be fatal especially if his client’s should develop health issue suddenly.
Justice Hobon ruled that Fayose could keep his Nigeria passport to enable him travel but he said that he would check the record of the court and the condition could be reviewed if anything contrary happen but with evidence.
He adjourned hearing of preliminary objection on the matter till January 24, 2013. He warned parties in the case against unnecessary delay saying the court would not tolerate that.
Last modified: November 22, 2012