Fayose Associate Agbele Remands In Kuje Prison

Amidst the controversy surrounding the  N1,219,000,000 said to be part of N4,685,723,000 allegedly transferred unlawfully from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser, a Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday remanded an associate of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, Mr. Abiodun Agbele, in Kuje Prison, Abuja, till Thursday when it would deliver ruling on his application for bail.

Agbele was arraigned on 11 counts of money laundering

Arraigned along with Agbele were three companies, Sylvan Mcnamara Limited, De Privateer Limited and Spotless Investment Limited.

Agbele is said to be the Managing Director of De Privateer Limited and a former Director, Finance and

Account of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission.

The prosecution stated that Agbele and other suspects said to be at large used the companies (named as accused persons) to disburse the funds which were allegedly released fraudulently by the then National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

All the 11 counts preferred against the accused were said to be contrary to section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011(as amended in 2012).

The offences were said to be punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.

Agbele pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to him on Wednesday.

In the suit numbered FHC/ABJ/CR/154/154/2016, the EFCC alleged that between April 4, 2014 and November 13, 2014, Agebele, Obanikoro and other suspects at large conspired among themselves to “commit illegal act of laundering the sum of N4,685,723,000,000 being the sum transferred from the Office of the National Security Adviser with the Central Bank of Nigeria by Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) (the then NSA).”

After the arraignment on Wednesday, Agbele’s lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), moved his client’s bail application, urging the judge to grant it in liberal terms.

The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Johnson Ojogbane, urged the court to dismiss the application.

Ojogbane urged the court to remand the accused person in prison throughout the period of the trial and instead of granting him bail, the judge should rather grant an order of accelerated hearing.

Justice Dimgba fixed Thursday for ruling on the bail application.