N58bn Fraud: How OGD looted Ogun –EFCC
By MOSHOOD ADEBAYO, Abeokuta

Thursday, October 13, 2011
• N4.3bn LG funds converted to personal use
• $4m state funds used to buy personal shares

• Judges quarters converted to Asoludero Court

• Pleads not guilty, remanded in EFCC custody till tomorrow

The arraignment of the immediate past governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, yesterday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over alleged mismanagement of N58 billion has revealed how the former governor allegedly fleeced the state.


Daniel who was arrested last Thursday alongside the former governors of Oyo and Nasarawa states, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, and Aliyu Akwe-Doma by the anti-graft agency was arraigned in an Ogun State High Court, Isabo- Abeokuta, on a 16-count charge of stealing, fraud, illegal deduction of local government funds and failure to declare assets.

Holding a book he authored and entitled “Daniel in the Lion’s Den’’, the former governor in company with his wife, Olufunke, was led to Court 4 where Hon. Justice Olanrewaju Mabekoje presided.

Dressed in a cream agbada, traditional Yoruba attire with his traditional OGD black cap and black shoes to match, Daniel, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The former governor was brought to the court premises at about 9.10 a.m. in a white Toyota Hiace bus with registration number Abuja BR 737 BWR in company with his wife and close family members.

He entered the dock at about 9.23a.m. and stood throughout while the charges were read from the charge sheet No. ABK/EFCC/02/2011.

Before the charges were read, the presiding Judge, Mabekoje granted the request of the leading counsel to the accused, Professor Taiwo Osipitan (SAN) who asked for stand down for 30 minutes to enable him to study the charges and discuss with his client.

When the court resumed, counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, told the court that the agency had filed a 304-page information. This prompted the lead counsel to the accused, Professor Osipitan to ask the court for a stand down for the defence team to study the information in compliance with Section 36 sub-section 6 of the 1999 constitution as amended.

Justice Mabekoje after listening to Osipitan’s plea granted a 30-minute stand down in favour of the defence team.

In the first count of the charge, Daniel was alleged to have on 31st Mach, 2010, fraudulently converted a sum of $1,000,000 property of the state government being part of the funds allegedly deposited in the Ogun State Government domiciliary account with First City Monument Bank to acquire shares of Glanvill Enthoven and Company (Nigeria) Limited.

On the second count charge, on April 8, 2010, Daniel was alleged to have fraudulently converted an aggregate sum of $2,000,000 million worth property of Ogun State Government being part of the funds deposited in the state’s domiciliary account with First City Monument Bank, to acquire shares of Glanvill Enthoven and Company (Nigeria) Limited.

On count three, Daniel on 8th April, 2010 was accused of fraudulently converting the sum of $1,000,000 million property of Ogun State Government being part of the funds deposited in the Ogun State Government domiciliary account with FCMB which he used to acquire shares of 21st Century Technology Limited.

The fourth count charge accused him of defrauding the state, having allegedly converted the Judges Quarters at GRA Sagamu to his private use by building his personal house known as Asoludero Court. This property he was said to have acquired in the name of Blue Chapel Limited, a company where he was said to have interest but not authorised by the trust. On the fifth count charge, the former governor was said to have with intent, defrauded and converted the Judges’ Quarters at Ijebu-Ode to the use of Conference Hotels Limited, a company it was said that he, (Daniel) had interest but not authorized by the trust.

The sixth count charge had it that Daniel on or before 13th September, 2006, with intent to defraud the state, converted 2.011 hectares of land situated within the Secretariat Complex along Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida Boulevard, Abeokuta, Ogun State, to the use of Golf Place Resort Hotels Limited, a company which it was said, he had interest but was not authorized by the trust.

In the seven count charge, Daniel was said to have in 2005 with intent defraud and converted a 4,107 hectares of land within Scheme 1, Area, Riverview Estate, Isheri, along Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, Isheri, Ogun State to the use of Westerner Publishing Company Limited, a company it was said that he had interest.

The ex-governor on the eight-count charge was accused of fraudulently converting the sum of N1, 103,294,648.61 billion properties of Ogun State local government councils which deduction he made from their November 2009 statutory allocation. The ninth count charge read that Daniel, sometimes in July 2009, fraudulently converted a sum of N1, 061,155,624.55 property of Ogun State local government councils which deduction he allegedly made form their November 2009 Statutory Allocation.

Particulars of Count 10 had it that Daniel sometime in October 2009 within the jurisdiction of the honourable Court while being the Executive Governor of Ogun State fraudulent converted to his own, the sum of N1, 094,282,667.10, property of Ogun State Local Government Councils which deduction you made from their November 2009 Statutory Allocation.

The statement of count 12 read that Daniel sometime in August, 2009 within the jurisdiction of the honourable court whilst being the Executive Governor of Ogun State fraudulently converted to his own use, the sum of N1,051,218,881.46 property of Ogun State local government councils which deduction you made from their November, 2009 statutory allocation.

On count 13, the former governor was accused of not declaring his interest in Glanvil Enthoven and Company (Nigeria) Limited, a company in which he was alleged to have acquired interest while he was governor. Particulars of count 14 stated that Daniel made a declaration that was false by not declaring his interest in 21st Century Technology Limited, a company in which he was said to have acquired interest while he governed the state between 2003 and 2011. Count-15 also charged the ex-governor to have on 11th October, 2011, within the jurisdiction of the honourable court, knowingly made a declaration that was false by not declaring his interest in Conference Hotels Limited, a company where he allegedly acquired interest while he was governor.

Particulars of the count 16 said that Daniel on 11th October, 2011 within the jurisdiction of the honourable court knowingly made a declaration that was false by not declaring his interest in Golf Place Resort Hotel Limited, a company in which he was alleged to have interest while in office. While the court proceeding lasted, supporters of the ex-governor who had stormed the court premises and another group believed to be opposed to him, chanted both pro and anti-Daniel slogans. It took the swift intervention of the Police and other security operatives to prevent a breakdown of law and order as the two groups made inciting statements.

Despite the heavy presence of security, rowdiness almost marred the court session as the counsel strained their ears to listen to the proceedings. The situation forced one of the counsels to the accused, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo to observe at the end of the proceedings that there was need for security within and outside the court to be beefed up.

The presiding Judge who granted the request of the EFCC for adjournment till tomorrow for the hearing of Daniel’s bail application, also ordered that the ex-governor be remanded in the EFCC’s custody. Although the EFCC said it did not object to Daniel being remanded in its custody, its lead counsel, Jacobs reacted to a media report that the ex-governor was being subjected to inhuman conditions.

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