Ekiti Judicial Commission of Inquiry summons Fayemi, Coscharis motors, others

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Ekiti State Government to investigate allegations of fraud against the administration of the Minister for Steel and Minerals Resources Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, will begin proceedings next week Monday at the State High Court premises in Ado Ekiti.
The setting up of the enquiry was in strict compliance with section 2 of the Ekiti State Law on the establishment of Judicial Commission of Enquiry.
The law under which the commission was set up was signed into Law in 2012 by Fayemi.
The Commission of Inquiry, headed by retired Justice Silas Oyewole, has summoned Fayemi, who is a former governor of the State; former Commissioner for Finance, Dapo Kolawole; Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission; Ado Ekiti Branch Manager of Access Bank; Managing Director of Coscharis Motors Limited; Tianjin-Yuyang Construction Engineering Limited; CASA Nigeria Limited; Director General of the Security and Exchange Commission; and Managing Director of SCOA Nigeria Limited.
An Ado-Ekiti High Court had rejected an application filed by Fayemi seeking an interim order to restrain the judicial commission of inquiry from the probe of his administration.
Justice Lekan Ogunmoye in a ruling held that Fayemi’s request for an interim order could not be granted because the defendants had filed a notice of preliminary injunction challenging the competence of the court to hear the substantive suit.
The Notice issued by Secretary to the Commission, Gbenga Adaramola, reads: “Consequent upon the inauguration of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the finances of Ekiti State between 2010 and 2014 by the Ekiti State Government, the Commission will commence the public hearing and the following witnesses would be called, examined and/or cross-examined as indicated hereunder.”
Those to be called on August 28, 2017 are witnesses from the Accountant General’s office and the Ministry of Finance, while witnesses from the Ministry of Budget and Planning, General Administration and Department, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Managing Director of Coscharis Motors Limited will be called on August 30, 2017.
On September 6, 2017, witnesses from the Ministry of Works and Transportation will be called as well as Fayemi, Kolawole, SCOA Nigeria Limited, Citadel Nominees Limited/Toyab Associates Joint Consultants, CASA Nigeria Limited and Director General of the SEC.
On September 11, 2017, witnesses from the SUBEB and Ekiti State House of Assembly will be called, while Fayemi, Kolawole, UBEC Executive Secretary and Access Bank
Branch Manager are to be cross-examined.
Officials of the Cabinet and Special Services (State Tenders Board) will be called to witness on September 13, 2017, while witnesses from the Ministry of Information, Youth and Sports Development and Ministry of Agriculture will be called on September 18, 2017.
The Commission of Inquiry was set up following a resolution passed by the Ekiti State House Assembly few weeks ago, which directed the Governor Ayodele Fayose to pursue the investigations given that Fayemi failed to appear before the House when summoned to testify.
The assembly had accused Fayemi of diverting funds belonging to the SUBEB while serving as governor of the state.
It has as its terms of reference: to ascertain how much Ekiti State Government received as statutory allocations during the period under review and how same were disbursed.
The commission is also to “look into the financial transactions of Ekiti State between 2010 and 2014; ascertain the amount received on behalf of the State from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC); investigate the allegations of fraud/loss of funds, including the diversion and conversion of the UBEC funds; ascertain the amount that the Ekiti State Government took as loans during the period under review and how they were utilized”.
It was also mandated to consider all other issues relating to the finances of the Ekiti State Government within the period under review, and to make appropriate recommendations to the Ekiti State Government.