The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday opened its case against immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose.

The commission is prosecuting Fayose over alleged N6.9 billion fraud. It had earlier on October 22 arraigned the former governor alongside his company — Spotless Investment Ltd on 11 counts.

Fayose had then pleaded not guilty to the charges and was subsequently granted bail. The matter was adjourned for trial to November 19, 2018.

When the trial began this Monday in court, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) stood as counsel for the EFCC while Messrs Kanu Agabi (SAN) and Olalekan Ojo (SAN) stood for the first and second accused respectively.

The trial judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, adjourned till January 21 and 28 for continuation of trial.

Meanwhile, in another related development, EFCC arraigned a gubernatorial candidate of the Green Party of Nigeria (GPN), Alhaji Abdulsalam Saleh Abdulkarim over alleged money laundering and defrauding to the tune of $1.1 million (dollars).

The defendant was charged for a nine-count charge bordering on money laundering and defrauding, contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same act.

The defendant was brought to the court by armed policemen and operatives of the EFCC

When the case came up, the Presiding judge, Justice Lewise Allogoa granted the defendant bail in the sum of N100m and one reliable surety who owned a property of like sum within the jurisdiction of the court.

Justice Allogoa adjourned the case to January 29th and 30th, 2019 for continuation.

•Excerpted from a Vanguard/Daily Trust report