24th July, 2016
Senator Iyiola Omisore, the former Deputy Governor of Osun State may have settled for plea bargain in the money laundering case he has with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The politician-businessman who lost the 2014 election to be governor of his state has agreed to refund the N1.310 billion given him by Colonel Sambo Dasuki, from the huge fund meant for the purchase of arms and the security of the nation.
It was part of the deal to procure a bail out of EFCC cell. He was arrested 10 July.
As a show of fidelity to the deal, he has refunded N100million to the EFCC, being the balance met in one of the accounts linked with the stolen fund.
The Nation reported today that Omisore was released to two members of the National Assembly who stood as sureties for him.
“The EFCC granted Omisore bail on compassionate ground to attend to his health. He was actually in the hospital where he underwent surgery”, the newspaper quoted an EFCC source as saying.
Omisore was arrested over N4.745 billion allegedly allocated to him and others by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
Of this amount, about N1.310billion was traced to Omisore and three companies.
His accomplices include Governor Ayodele Fayose and ex-Minister of Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro, who has gone on self-exile in the United States.
According to a report by the EFCC, the funds were remitted as follows: Fimex Gilt Limited(N160m)-8/8/2014in UBA; Metropolitan Consortium(N350m)-9/7/14 in First Bank; Sawanara(N300m)—1/8/14 in First Bank and Metropolitan Consortium(N350m)-1/8/14 in First Bank.
A top EFCC source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Preliminary findings have shown that N1.310billion out of the N4.745billion from ONSA was remitted to the three firms and the accounts of these three companies belong to Omisore.”
*Source: TheNation