Confusion over emergence of Daniel’s lawyer as Chief of Staff in EFCC There is confusion over the emergence of Kayode Oladele, the lawyer of a former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, as the Chief of Staff to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Lamorde. While a school of thought believes he was appointed to oversee the thorough prosecution of the former governor, who is standing trial on allegations of corruption, another school of thought is of the opinion that Oladele was appointed to scuttle the case against Daniel. Oladele is also alleged to have taken with him as aide to the EFCC another former Special Adviser to Daniel, Raheem Ajayi. This development has led the principal prosecution witness in the EFCC’s case against Daniel, Tunde Oladunjoye, withdrawing from appearing physically. Oladunjoye, a former local government area chairman in Ogun State, in two separate letters to the EFCC, said he was convinced that with the appointments of Oladele and Ajayi, the anti-graft agency was not serious with the prosecution of Daniel. The Eagle Online could not reach both the official spokesperson of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, and Oladunjoye before press time as they did not answer calls to their mobile phones. But while a source in the EFCC alleged that Oladunjoye was withdrawing from the case because he had “settled” with Daniel, a source close to the former local government chairman said he regarded the appointment of Oladele and Ajayi as the end of the case against Daniel. The source said that Oladunjoye feels betrayed that despite all the evidence available to the EFCC, the anti-graft agency has not shown any commitment to the prosecution of Daniel. Rather, the source said Oladunjoye is being asked to provide proof that Oladele ever worked with Daniel or acted as his lawyer or those of his companies, including Western Publishing Company Limited, publishers of Nigerian Compass newspapers. The source said: “Is it possible for the EFCC to say there is no evidence anywhere that Oladele is linked with Daniel in terms of a working relationship? “Is it possible for the EFCC to say that in the public space, information is not available that Oladele ever defended Daniel or was part of his legal team in any case? “Is it also possible that apart from the case instituted against Daniel by the EFCC, the Commission does not have in its possession a document from the Serious Organised Crime Agency in the United Kingdom that Daniel was involved in deals that were suspicious and which could be the basis for his prosecution? “Is it possible for the EFCC to say it does not have a way of establishing that Oladele has visited Daniel since he took up his appointment with the Commission? “And will the Commission say it is not aware that Daniel was at the burial of the mother of Oladele, in even such a flamboyant way that he almost turned it into a political gathering? “These are a few questions that the EFCC should ask itself instead of telling a petitioner to provide it with all the evidences it requires to prosecute a suspect.” In withdrawing as the principal prosecution witness of the EFCC, Oladunjoye has written two letters to the Commission, which are reproduced below. But a source in the EFCC said the decision of Oladunjoye to withdraw as the principal prosecution witness in the Commission’s case against Daniel was because he had “settled” with Daniel. The source alleged that Oladunjoye was now a front for Daniel and does not want the case to continue. However, Oladunjoye has written two letters to the EFCC, explaining why he decided to withdraw from the case. The two letters are reproduced below: August 31, 2013. The Chairman EFCC Abuja Dear Sir, SELECTIVE AND PROLONGED PROSECUTION OF CORRUPT CASES AND IMMORAL APPOINTMENT BY EFCC CHAIRMAN: I NO LONGER WISH TO PHYSICALLY APPEAR AS EFCC PROSECUTION WITNESS My attention has been drawn to recent press releases in the mass and social media about your organisation’s “renewed” fight against corruption. I make it bold to say that, the so-called fight against corruption is not only selective and half-hearted, but also discouraging to people who are genuinely out to ensure a corruption-free egalitarian society. Not long ago your organisation rearrested Chief Timipre Sylvia, the former Governor of Bayelsa State, who had been arrested and released on bail in the past. According to your spokesperson, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, the former governor was “being grilled in connection with fresh evidence linking him with a bouquet of fraudulent transactions that borders on money laundering”. If we may ask, is the former governor of Ogun State, Mr. Gbenga Daniel not facing criminal charges and is his trial not on-going at an Abeokuta High Court? Has Daniel not been found to have illegally and fraudulently bought houses in London only to resell the two houses when it became known to the public, and later laundered the money to China? The evidence and confirmation of Mr. Gbenga Daniel’s money laundering activities is confirmed by a report from the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) of UK, which is in the EFCC file gathering dust on your table. Till date, the EFCC has not deemed it fit to charge Otunba Gbenga Daniel for money laundering in any Federal High Court. Instead, in utter disregard to morality, norms, decency, and public psyche; you went ahead and appointed Barrister Kayode Oladele, as your CHIEF OF STAFF. Mr. Kayode Oladele was the Special Adviser on NGOs and Counsel to Mr. Gbenga Daniel during the era for which Mr. Gbenga Daniel is currently being tried in court by EFCC. This appointment, to say the least, is immoral and scandalous. Nigeria is now a subject of ridicule before the international community. Mr. Daniel has returned to public glare laughing, even as he has been boasting all over, even in a recent newspaper interview (Daily Sun), that nothing will come out of the EFCC trial. Daniel is also boasting that he is a favourite of; and South West Coordinator for President Goodluck Jonathan and that he will be given the same role for 2015 and therefore no one can touch him. True? What other evidences do we need for Daniel’s new found confidence than the appointment of his Counsel and Ex-Special Adviser as your Chief of Staff? My position is that I have nothing personal against Mr. Gbenga Daniel or his former Special Adviser, who is now the Chief of all your staff. However, Mr. Oladele is the most qualified for the post or most preferred, you should have waited for the trial of his former principal to be concluded. I urge you to stop fooling Nigerians and assaulting our sensibilities. Remove the log in your own eyes too. Sir, in view of the above, I am informing you through this medium that, while I stand by the statements and evidences that I have voluntarily made available to EFCC against Mr. Daniel, I will no longer be willing to appear as one of your principal witnesses in your on-going trial of Mr. Daniel before an Abeokuta High Court. I have great respect for the trial Judge and lot of admiration for the Lead-Prosecuting Counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, who was my Senior Comrade in the days of prodemocracy struggle on the platform of Gani Fawehinmi Solidarity Association (GFSA); but with your recent appointment of Mr. Daniel’s Ex-Special Adviser as your Chief of Staff, I do not wish to further appear physically, as your witness in the prolonged prosecution of Mr. Daniel. I am just too busy to waste my time further. I am sure you must have heard the persecution that I and my family have suffered since I started this crusade against Mr. Daniel over the embezzlement of over N96billion naira local government funds in Ogun State during his eight years of maladministration. Mrs. Funke Daniel on July 24, 2010 led thugs to my country home, ransacked my entire house and brutalised my Special Assistant, Mr. Rasheed Odunaya, who was later hospitalised. The thugs left with some of my personal effects and cash. This attack, was later described as a “peace mission” by Mr. Daniel himself in his memoir, “Daniel in the Lion’s Den”, wherein he ‘confessed’ the brutalisation of Mr. Odunaya but added that the “policeman who slapped him was reprimanded” (Peaceful slaps that landed Mr. Odunaya in hospital!). The recovered expended bullet, out of the several that were fired when my town, Ijebu Itele was practically occupied is still with the Police CID Alagbon. Mrs. Funke Daniel, till date, has shunned the police invitation to make statement. My family had to go on exile. My life has been under threat till date. But I remain confident that it is only Almighty Allah, Subuhana Tahala, that gives and take lives. Finally Sir, I have maintained that mine is to alert and to provide the incontrovertible evidence. I am not EFCC and I am not the Judiciary. I have played my own role. The rest is left for posterity to judge all of us. Thank you and God Bless. Sincerely, TUNDE OLADUNJOYE Ijebu Itele, August 31, 2013. NB: In case it has not been brought to your attention, please find time to read the Editorial of Nigerian Tribune of Wednesday, 28 August, 2013 at page 19 titled “Unresolved high-profile Corrupt Cases” and another Editorial of the same Nigerian Tribune of Thursday, 29 August, 2013 at page 19 titled “Public Officials and Prodigal Lifestyles.” The Second letter: September 5, 2013. The Chairman EFCC Abuja Dear Sir, IMMORAL APPOINTMENTS BY EFCC TO COMPROMISE CRIMINAL TRIAL OF OTUNBA GBENGA DANIEL; TIME TO RESIGN AND GO HOME. You will recall my letter dated August 31, 2013 (copy attached) on what I termed as immoral and scandalous appointment of Mr. Kayode Oladele, former Counsel and Special Adviser on NGOs to the former governor of Ogun State, Mr. Gbenga Daniel, who is currently being tried by your Commission on charges of corruption and embezzlement of public funds while in office. As a result of the appointment of Mr. Oladele, which is posited was unethical and indefensible, I informed you in the said letter that I no longer wish to physically appear in the trial of the former governor as a witness. Sir, to my further consternation, I have also discovered that the Special Assistant (SA) to your Chief of Staff, Mr. Kayode Oladele (a former Counsel and Special Adviser to ex governor Gbenga Daniel) is Mr. Raheem Ajayi. It may interest you to note that the said Mr Raheem Ajayi was also a former Special Adviser to ex- governor, Gbenga Daniel on Youth and Sports. Sir, the resultant effect of the appointments referred to above in my mind and in the eyes of the public is that the accused, Mr. Gbenga Daniel has his hatchet men well placed in your Commission to truncate and obstruct the course of justice in his ongoing trial. Mr. Chairman, if I may ask you sir: What corruption are you fighting as exemplified by the ongoing trial of Mr. Gbenga Daniel for corruption and financial mismanagement of Ogun State’s scarce resources, when at the same time, you have a former lawyer and Special Adviser to the same Gbenga Daniel as your Chief of Staff and a former Special Adviser on Youth and Sports to the same Gbenga Daniel as a Special Assistant in the the office of your Chief of Staff, which essentially is your own office? Sir, can you honestly claim ignorance of the existence of several petitions against Mr. Daniel on allegations of financial mismanagement and illegal/unlawful land ‘grabbing’ activities during the Gateway Games 2006? Is the appointment of The Special Adviser to Mr. Daniel on Youth and Sports (Deputy Commissioner Sports) Mr. Raheem Ajayi, as Special Assistant to your Chief of Staff not suggestive of the fact that the case is about to be compromised by your Commission? Sir, I see the appointment of Mr. Daniel’s former aides as part of your core staff, not only as exhibition of a high level of indiscretion, but also a global embarrassment to Nigeria; an indictment of the entire structure of EFCC, and provides ready pointers for pessimists who have concluded, wrongly though, that Nigeria cannot make it. It is my considered opinion that in view of the foregoing, you can no longer be trusted to actualise the objectives for which EFCC was set up for. Mr. Chairman Sir, the time to resign and go home is now! Sincerely yours, Signed Tunde Oladunjoye Oladunjoyelo@gmail Cc: Barrister Taofik Lawal Fairdeal Legal Practitioners 80, Murtala Muhammed Way Beside ICAN Building Ebute Metta, Lagos.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 16:17:34 +0000
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