N4.7bn Fraud: How Ladoja Received N1.9bn Cash – Witness … Court Summons Oyo AGF, Others

Ladipo Sanusi/

A prosecution witness has told how a former governor received N1.9billion without going through any financial institution.

The witness, Mr. Waheed Atanda, in the ongoing trial of former Oyo State governor, Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja, and his Commissioner for Finance, Waheed Akanbi, made the revelation at a Federal High Court, in Lagos.

The Court presided over by Justice Mohammed Idris thereafter summoned the Oyo State’s Attorney-General and one Yinka Fatoki of Oyo State Ministry of Commerce and Industry to appear before it tomorrow, for the purpose of tendering some vital documents in the ongoing trial of the former Oyo State governor.

The Court had earlier summoned the duo to tender the said vital documents, but when the matter came up today, lawyer to Ladoja complained that the service of earlier summon on the two government officials was treated with levity. Justice Idris then reaffirmed his earlier order.

At the resumed trial today, former Senior Special Executive Assistant to Ladoja, Atanda while being cross-examined by Mr. Bolaji Onilenla, the lawyer to Ladoja, said that the N1.9 billion received by Ladoja was paid to him without using a bank account.

Justice Idris frowned at the attitude of Oyo State’s Attorney-General and the Fatoki from Oyo State’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, for ignoring a subpoena served on them to appear before the Court.

Consequently, Justice Idris said that he would order the arrest of both AGF and Fatoki, who is said to be folio manager of McLace Security Limited.

The judge said, “Both AGF and Fatoki have no choice than to honour the summon that have been served on them. They have no right to run away from court. When proper, the court will issue a warrant to force them to court.

“The AGF and Fatoki must be warned not to disobey the court, else, the court will issue arrest warrant against them.”

Justice Idris made the pronouncement following a complaint by the lawyer to Ladoja, Mr. Onilenla, who informed the Court that both Oyo State AGF and Fatoki had ignored the order of the court compelling them to produce some documents needed in defence of his client’s case.

The EFCC witness, while being cross-examined by Onilenla,  informed the court that the two Landcruiser cars (one armoured and one ordinary) that he bought for the Oyo State government during Ladoja’s regime, was at the instance of the former senator, who had earlier expressed interest that he wanted to acquire the two vehicles.

He also stated that due to the petitions to the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) and EFCC, the monies for the two vehicles were paid back to him but this drafts were made payable to the EFCC.

The witness further said on Quarter 361 paid for by him, that the Oyo State government refunded him but the draft was made payable to the EFCC.

He also insisted that he got a facility of N80 million from Wema Bank Plc, which was paid to V. T. Leasing Limited, to purchase the 20 vehicles for the state lawmakers during Ladoja’s impeachment saga.

On how they disposed the Oyo State government’s shares, the witness stated that a meeting was held in April 2007, where the matter was discussed.

Present at the meeting according to the witness are: the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry; Commissioner for Finance (the second defendant); Biodun Kola Daisi, Managing Director of Fountain Trust Security Limited (the Oyo State government official broker), Mr. Greg Usu of Mc Lay Trust Limited, and Bola Balogun of City Trust Limited.

He added that the broking firms were asked to make offers on the stocks that were put up for sale, and that the recommendation reached at the meeting was made known to Ladoja.

On the N350 million paid to the group of lawyers that handled Ladoja’s court cases from State High Court to Supreme Court, the witness stated that the initial fees was N35 million, but midway into the case, the lawyers approached them and said the money had to be increased to N350 million, as they would be heading to Supreme Court.

He stated that he personally contributed N35 million but did not know what Senator Ladoja contributed. He added that his law firm under the name Ade Atanda & CO., was paid the sum of N94 million.

The matter has been adjourned till tomorrow, for continuation of cross-examination of the witness.

Ladoja alongside his Commissioner for Finance are standing trial before Justice Idris on eight counts of money laundering.

They were accused of conspiring among themselves to siphon N4.7 billion from the coffers of the state and launder same.

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