The much-anticipated ruling on whether former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has a case to answer in the ongoing N6.9 billion fraud and money laundering trial was unexpectedly delayed on Thursday, July 10, 2025, due to the absence of the presiding judge, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke.
The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, was expected to deliver a critical decision that could determine the future of the high-profile trial involving Fayose and his company, Spotless Investment Limited. The former governor, who was initially arraigned in October 2018 before a different judge, is facing multiple charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), including alleged diversion of funds and illicit property acquisitions.
At the last court sitting on May 19, 2025, Fayose’s lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi SAN, challenged the credibility of the prosecution’s case, arguing that the evidence presented lacked merit and failed to prove his client’s involvement beyond reasonable doubt. He also noted that an alleged co-conspirator, who played a central role in the transactions, had not been charged, suggesting inconsistencies in the prosecution’s approach.
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Backing Agabi’s position, counsel for Spotless Investment Limited echoed the argument that the charges were not substantiated. However, EFCC’s lead prosecutor, Rotimi Jacobs SAN, insisted that the evidence was compelling and pointed to deliberate wrongdoing. He highlighted witness testimonies indicating that Fayose used proxies to acquire properties within and outside Nigeria, avoiding his personal accounts in an attempt to obscure the transactions.
Jacobs questioned why a sitting governor would not route the transactions through official or personal banking channels if there was nothing criminal involved, asserting that the financial trail exposed a clear case of money laundering.
Thursday’s court session was expected to clarify whether the defense’s application for a no-case submission would be upheld. However, proceedings were abruptly stalled after Justice Aneke was called away on an urgent assignment, forcing the court to adjourn the matter.
The case has now been rescheduled, with the next hearing now rescheduled, when the court is expected to rule on whether Fayose and his company will be required to open their defense. The delay has sparked renewed public interest in one of Nigeria’s longest-running political corruption trials, with many watching to see if justice will finally be served.
