The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has resolved to appeal the ruling of a Federal Capital Territory High Court, which, on Thursday, granted bail to Abiodun Agbele.
Agbele is believed to be a close ally of the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose and was reportedly involved in the conveying of an alleged N1.219bn for Fayose.
Agbele was arrested last month by the EFCC on allegations that he received N1.219bn from Obanikoro on behalf of Fayose during the build-up to the June, 2014 Ekiti State governorship election.
Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, in a ruling, offered bail to Agbele and ordered the EFCC to pay the suspect N5m as compensation for unlawful detention.
The judge said Agbele’s fundamental human rights were abused by the failure of the EFCC to charge him to court.
But in a statement by its spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, the anti-graft agency said the suspect was being held with valid remand warrants issued by competent courts.
In the same vein, the anti-graft agency on Wednesday grilled a former aide to Obanikoro.
This is part of investigations into the N4.7bn the former minister allegedly received from the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Obanikoro was alleged to have received the N4.7bn through the Diamond Bank account of Sylvan McNamara, a company allegedly owned by his two sons – Babajide and Gbolahan.
A source at the anti-graft agency said Obanikoro allegedly handed over N1.219bn to Fayose and N1.3bn to Omisore.
He was then said to have directed that about N759,384,300 be transferred into the accounts of about six bureau de change operators.
The two bureau de change operators that received the bulk of the funds were A. A. G. B. S. Oil and Gas and North Line Limited.
While A. A. G. B. S. received N168m on June 16, 2014, North Line Limited received N835, 000 on July 14; received N83,750,000 on June 17; N1,680,000 on September 3, 2014; about N2,325,300 on September 9; N5,932,500 on September 17 and N842,500 on July 30.
The source in the EFCC added, “We interrogated one of the aides to Obanikoro. He was also the one who arranged for payments of $25,200 to Gyro Air, which flew Obanikoro along with the N1.219bn to Akure, after which the N1.219bn was handed over to Agbele.
“This same aide visited a bureau de change operator and collected over $1m on behalf of Obanikoro and handed it over to the minister in some bags. The aide cooperated with us, wrote his statement and has been granted bail.”
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