Detectives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have uncovered how Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose bought N1.35billion properties - four duplexes in Lagos and one in Abuja - within six months in office.
According to a report on The Nation, the governor who was inaugurated on October 16, 2014, acquired the properties in Lagos and Abuja by April 2015. The four duplexes, which were bought at $1.3m each, are located on Tiamiyu Savage Street on Victoria Island in Lagos, and each of the mansions is a four-bedroom duplex.
Findings by the anti-graft agency reveals that while chalets 3 and 4 were purchased through Siqnathor, chalets 6 and 9 were owned by Noga Hotel, while the fifth duplex was bought from the Skye Bank Plc at N200million.
The gallant officials of the agency, has summoned three more people for quizzing on Friday in respect of the ongoing investigation of the embattled governor.
It was gathered that one of those invited, Oyin Daramola, who is an estate agent, is said to have told the EFCC team that she did a legitimate business, adding that she had never been fraudulent in all her business transactions.
Daramola reportedly told the EFCC team: “I did legitimate business, I am not fraudulent. I don’t do dirty business deals.
“You can check my background and business records, I have never been involved in shady transactions. Even the purchase of the duplexes, I made sure every process is documented without cutting corners. I have no cause to live a dubious life.”
The report also revealed that besides Daramola, two others are to present evidence of their business fidelity to the anti-graft agency.
Although the transactions were handled by Still Earth belonging to Oyin Daramola, the governor has refused to pay estate agency fees up till the time of filing this report, and instead, he offered to pay fees through the award of contracts to the estate agent in Ekiti State to defray the commission on the five properties.
The Nation reported further that EFCC source, who was privy to the preliminary investigation, said: “They approached Oyin Daramola through Abiodun Agbele whom she knew in Ibadan.
“Upon seeing Agbele who came to seek assistance to buy the four duplexes in Lagos, it was obvious he was looking so poor and could not afford the huge cost.
“Agbele then said his friend, who wanted the duplexes, will call her. It was then Fayose later called Oyin Daramola. We have the call logs and the transcript of the conversation or negotiation already.
“Investigation confirmed that Fayose did not pay the agency fees but only offered to give contracts to Still Earth belonging to Daramola in Ekiti State to pay the required fees. Unknowingly, he wanted to award the contracts for kick-back to feather his nest.”
For questioning are Daramola of Still Earth, her former accountant and a consultant, simply called Titilayo of Philberth company.
“We are going to interact with these three people on Friday as part of the ongoing investigation of the governor. We had a preliminary interface with Daramola, who was innocently manipulated by Agbele and the governor for a legitimate business,” the EFCC source said.
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