The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday abruptly stopped evidence by its 13th witness in the fraud trial of former Gov. Ayo Fayose, saying that it appeared the witness was trying to be hostile.
The witness, Mr Adewale Aladegbola, who introduced himself as a former driver of a bullion van in Zenith bank, had testified that he didn’t have any operation on April 16, 2015.
“I didn’t have any operation; more so, the bullion van which I was using was grounded on that date,’’ he said. EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) had asked the witness to tell the court what transpired on April 16, 2015, in relation to cash operation in the bank.
EFCC had arraigned Fayose on an 11-count charge on Oct. 22, 2018, alongside a company, Spotless Investment Ltd. The former governor, however, pleaded not guilty, and was granted bail in the sum of N50 million with one surety in like sum. EFCC opened its case on Nov. 19, 2018.
Led in evidence on Friday by Jacobs, Aladegbola testified that he worked in the Ado-Ekiti Branch of the bank as at 2015 and that his duty was cash picking.
The witness said that in absence of any cash to pick, he worked in the marketing section.
When asked about the vehicles he used for his job, he said he used two vehicles – a bullion van and an escort van. When asked to tell the court what transpired between him and one `Alfa’ named Oputu Okiemute, the witness said that he got to know him in August.
“He told me about the cash they had picked and that we need to cover up as if we had gone to pick it up officially, and I asked him: `What do you want me to do now as you said I was not aware?”, he said.