24 hours after admitting in evidence the statement of the
late Justin Erukaa, the Personal Assistant to Sen Musiliu Obanikoro, a Federal
High Court sitting in Lagos has heard the testimony of the former Minister of
State for Defence, on how Erukaa died.
Senator Obanikoro said: “Erukaa left Lagos a day before
Sallah about two years ago, and the police called one of my Special Assistants
that the owner of the phone just had a motor accident and died on the spot and
he immediately called me and informed me.”
Obanikoro also said that he and his family attended the
burial of the late Erukaa.
In an earlier testimony before the court, Obanikoro had said
that he sent Erukaa on errands, including an errand to collect over $1million
and that Erukaa came to meet him in Ekiti.
The court had admitted in evidence the statement made by the
late Erukaa before his death.
The monies in issue in the case were said to have originated
from the Office of the former National Security Adviser (ONSA) for the purpose
of prosecuting the Ekiti State Elections.
Obanikoro, however, reiterated his earlier testimony that he
was not privy to any discussion between Former Governor Ayodele Fayose and the
former NSA.
Mr Fayose alongside a company, Spotless Investment Ltd is on
trial for allegedly receiving and keeping N1.2billion and $5million allegedly
stolen from the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) contrary to the
Money Laundering Act.
He had, however, pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned on
11 counts in October 22, 2018.
In November 2018, the EFCC opened the case for the
prosecution and subsequently called four witnesses.
In January 2018, the EFCC called Obanikoro as its fifth
witness.
After his cross-examination ended today (Tuesday), Obanikoro
stepped down from the witness box and subsequently the EFCC called its 6th
witness, a banker, Mr Olugboyega Falae.
The EFCC had alleged that Fayose acquired a N200m property
in Maitama, Abuja in the name of his elder sister, Moji Oladeji.
Falae, who works with Ecobank Nigeria, said he was a staff
of Skye Bank (now Polaris Bank) when the transaction occurred.
The court admitted in evidence some of the documents
involved in that transaction before adjourning until Wednesday (tomorrow) for
continuation of the trial.