Fani-Kayode's wife arrived in Ekiti and attempted to withdraw funds from an account linked to slush funds provided by detained ex-NSA, Sambo Dasuki.
According to SR, the account is part of the subject of the former
minister's ongoing prosecution for fraud at a Federal High Court in
Lagos.
SR learned that officials concluded that an account opened at Access Bank by one "Sonia Chikwendu Precious," with account number 0024425113, was linked to money laundering. The account was flagged after security and anti-corruption agents determined that it was one of the several accounts into which another former minister, Esther Usman Nenadi, paid illicit funds.
When Fani-Kayode's woman arrived at Access Bank in Ekiti to withdraw funds, officials contacted agents of the EFCC. The EFCC had earlier instructed the bank to alert security agents whenever anybody showed up to carry out transactions on the account.
Ms. Precious was with her eight-month-old baby at the time of her arrest. EFCC officials in Lagos asked the Divisional Police Officer in charge of a police station near the Ajilosun branch of the bank in Ado Ekiti to release her on bail as EFCC agents in Lagos were unable to get to Ekiti on time to take a statement from her.
The DPO contacted Governor Fayose instead of going to the bank who then rushed to the bank to free Fani-Kayode's woman. After freeing her from the bank, Fayose then marched back to the bank premises to close down the bank, swearing that the bank would never operate in Ekiti during the remainder of his tenure as governor.
In an apparent effort to gain public sympathy and whitewash Mr. Fayose's action as well as the attempt by Fani-Kayode's woman to withdraw funds from a flagged account, both the governor and the former minister issued statements claiming that the EFCC detained Fani-Kayode's woman along with an 8-month old baby.
REACTIONS
EFCC sources told SR that Precious Chikwendu was used as a front to open two fake bank accounts at Diamond Bank and 15 bank accounts at Guaranty Trust Bank to launder funds for Fani-Kayode during a time he waxed strong as the chief propagandist for Jonathan's re-election bid in 2015.
Fani-Kayode is currently on trial for Multi-Billion Naira money laundering before a Federal High.
Precious Chikwendu, a key player in the former minister's money laundering operations, had used the Zenith bank account linked to Fani-Kayode to apply for her BVN. Agents said BVN checks showed that the woman had been employed by Fani-Kayode to execute several fraudulent transactions.
In 2015, Fani-Kayode purchased a Range Rover Sports SUV for the mother of his baby. An EFCC source said the car was a likely appreciation for the lady's role in laundering funds for him.
