Former governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao Akala is in trouble as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned him again. He was re-arraigned alongside two others over alleged N11.5 billion fraud in the State High Court sitting in Ibadan
Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala
However, the two others are Senator Hosea Agboola, former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters and Femi Babalola, a businessman in Ibadan.
Meanwhile, Alao Akala, Hosea Agboola and Femi Babalola are facing an 11-count charge of conspiracy, awarding contract without budgetary provision, obtaining by false pretence, acquiring property with money derived from illegal act and concealing the ownership of such property, among others.
Be that as it may, EFCC’s counsel, Dr. B. Ubi disclosed to the court that when Alao-Akala was the governor, he awarded a road contract worth N8.5 billion between 2007 and 2009 to Pentagon Engineering Services. He added that the firm owned by Babalola handled the contract on behalf of the 33 Local Governments without budgetary provision.
He also revealed that Alao-Akala ordered the supply of drilling machines on behalf of the 33 Local Governments for N3.5 billion. He told the court that Alao-Akala also illegally acquired some property on Old Bodija Road, off Rotimi Williams Road, when he was the governor and that the offences contravened Section 22 (4) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act and Section 1 (18) of the Advanced Fee Fraud Act.
It is interesting to know that the charge before the court is not a fresh one but a re-arraignment because the matter was first filed in October 11, 2011 before Justice Moshood Abas and bail was granted to them after they met the conditions.