Fayose’s Aide Told Me To Lie To EFCC, Says Lebanese Contractor
A prosecution witness in the on -going trial of former Governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose Wednesday told a Federal High Court in Lagos that one of the aides of former Governor, Abiodun Agbele once asked him to lie to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) about owning a property in Lagos.
The witness, Maroun Mechleb, who is a Nigeria based Lebanese contractor, told the trial judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun that the property was bought by Agbele in the name of a company, JJ Technical Services Limited, which belongs to his younger brother and brother-in-law, Maroun Mechleb and Joseph Mechleb, without their knowledge.
The witness, who claimed that he is the Chief Executive Officer of a construction firm, Samchase Nigeria Limited, which is based in Akure, the Ondo State capital, said he falsely claimed ownership of the property in order to help Agbele, whom he described as a friend.
The EFCC had arraigned Fayose before the court alongside his company, Spotless Limited on an 11 count charge of laundering the sum of N3.3 billion
The anti-graft agency had also accused Fayose in the charge of using the aggregate sums of about N1.6 billion to acquire properties in Lagos and Abuja, which sums he reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of crim.
He was specifically accused of acquiring chalets 3 and 4, 6 and 9 of the property situate at Plot 100 Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island, Lagos in the name of JJ Technical Service Limited.
While being led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Mechleb told the court that he had done various jobs for both the Federal Government and some states, including Ekiti State.
The foreigner claimed that he did executed some contracts for the Ekiti State government in 2006, 2014, 2015 and 2016 when Fayose was governor of the state.
He further testified that the jobs he did for Ekiti State were facilitated by Agbele.
Mechleb claimed that there was an agreement between him and Agbele that he would “appreciate” him for every contract he facilitated for Samchase Nigeria Limited.
The Lebanese also stated that though the “appreciation” was not specified, it was usually about 10 per cent of the contract sum.
The witness, who told the court that he could neither write nor read English language fluently, said the scope of the contracts was usually communicated verbally, saying, “We agreed that when he got jobs for me, I will appreciate him. We did not specify but it’s around 10 per cent.”
When the foreigner was asked if he knew of a company called, JJ Technical Services Limited, he replied that the firm belongs to his younger brother and brother-in-law, Maroun Mechleb and Joseph Mechleb, respectively.
The witness claimed that his brother once approached him to help get some jobs for JJ Technical Services Limited, because since the company was incorporated in 2007, it never got any job.
Mechleb said he collected the firm’s documents and gave to Agbele to find job for it, but Agbele did not.
The Lebanese said at a time Agbele approached him and asked if he had a company which could be used to get a contract.
He said he then nominated JJ Technical Services Limited.
The Lebanese said Agbele later bought a property in the name of JJ Technical Services Limited and brought the deed of assignment for him to sign.
Mechleb said he signed the document not knowing that it was in respect of a property.
He said, “At the beginning, I didn’t know it was document of a property but I later got to know when the EFCC invited me and I had to contact Mr Abiodun Agbele.”
The foreigner testified that Agbele instructed him to tell the EFCC that he own the property, which he said he told the EFCC while dictating his statement on July 28, 2016.
Mechleb further informed the court that when he left the interrogation room, he told his lawyer who was with him that what he told the EFCC was not the truth, rather what Agbele instructed him to tell the anti-graft agency.
Mechleb said his lawyer was angry with him and told him to go back and tell the anti-graft agency the truth.
He said he went back immediately and dictated a second statement in which he denied ownership of the property in question.
Justice Olatoregun adjourned the matter till April 15 for continuation of trial.
