The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has called Sahibu Salisu, a former Director of Administration and Finance, as a witness in the trial of Ayodele Fayose and his company, Spotless Investment Limited. The trial is taking place at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos State. Fayose, who served as the governor of Ekiti State from 2003 to 2006 and from 2014 to 2018, is facing charges of money laundering and theft totaling N6.9 billion.
The EFCC, through its Lagos Zonal Command, initially arraigned Fayose on October 22, 2018, before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun. The case was later reassigned to Justice Chukujekwu Aneke. On Friday, Salisu, the 14th prosecution witness, testified that he facilitated payments of N200 million and N2 billion to a firm named Sylvan MacNamara for security purposes, following the instructions of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd). Salisu, who served between 2011 and 2015, detailed the payment process during his testimony, as led by prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs.
Salisu confirmed that upon NSA approval, payments were processed mainly for operational activities. When asked about the NSA’s role, he emphasized that it focused on national security, and any security-related expenditure was expected to be accounted for. Salisu identified a document labeled Exhibit S, which was a payment voucher he raised under NSA instructions. He explained that the payment of N200 million was made to Sylvan McNamara’s Diamond Bank account as directed by the NSA, despite not being informed of its specific purpose. The memo indicated it was for physical security infrastructure.
He explained that he would sign as signatory B on payment mandates, which were then approved by the NSA before being sent to the Central Bank of Nigeria. Salisu noted that while he appended his signature along with the former NSA on Exhibit S, he couldn’t confirm whether the funds were accounted for after payment.
Under cross-examination by the defense counsel for the first defendant, Ola Olanipekun, SAN, Salisu testified that all payments from the NSA’s office were bank transactions, with mandates raised beforehand. He also stated that the NSA did not specify the purposes for the N200 million and N2 billion payments, and he wasn’t informed that they were for security purposes.
During further cross-examination by Olalekan Ojo, SAN, counsel for the second defendant, Salisu affirmed his familiarity with financial regulations, explaining that recipients of funds were expected to provide receipts and memos as proof of expenditure. He clarified that his duties did not extend to security matters and reiterated that payments in the NSA’s office were for security purposes. He confirmed making a statement to the EFCC during their investigation, which was admitted as Exhibit A19. Salisu also noted that NSA instructions were never questioned.
Olanipekun requested that his client be allowed to travel abroad for medical reasons, a request that the prosecution did not oppose. Justice Aneke granted the request, allowing Fayose to seek medical treatment abroad. The trial was adjourned to October 18, 2024, for continuation.
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