BEVERLY HILLS, September 06, (THEWILL) – A prosecution witness, Abubakar Madaki, has told a Federal High Court in Lagos that a former governor of Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja, purchased 26 cars for 14 ex-legislators from the state coffers.
Madaki, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), gave evidence in the trial of Ladoja and a former Commissioner for Finance in the state, Waheed Akanbi, over alleged N4.7billion fraud.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Mohammed Idris on December 14, 2016, but they pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charge preferred against them by the EFCC.
The accused were alleged to have conspired to siphon and launder N4.7billion from the coffers of Oyo State Government.
EFCC is also accusing them of converting N1.9 billion belonging to Oyo State Government for their personal use through the account of a company called Heritage Apartments Ltd., to facilitate the crime.
The anti-graft agency claimed that they retained the money sometimes in 2007 in spite of their knowledge that it was proceeds from a criminal activity.
Ladoja was also accused of removing 600,000 pounds from the state coffers in 2007, which he allegedly sent to Bimpe Ladoja, his daughter, who was in London at the time.
In addition, the ex-governor was also accused of converting N42 million belonging to the state to his personal use and, subsequently, used same to purchase an armoured Land Cruiser jeep.
The accused was also alleged to have converted N728 million and another N77million at different times in 2007, for his personal use and was alleged to have transferred the money to Bistrum Investments for the purchase of a property in Ibadan.
The offences contravened the provisions of Sections 14, 16, 17 (a) and 18 (1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004.
At the resumed trial on Thursday, Madaki alleged that Ladoja had instructed the second prosecution witness (pw2) Wale Atanda, to buy 26 cars worth N80 million for 14 legislators in the State House of Assembly who were loyal to him from the Oyo State Government’s {OYSG} account.
The presiding judge, Mohammed Idris adjourned the case until September 7 for continuation of trial.
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