Constitutional and human rights lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, has declared that the N75 million found in his bank account was professional fees paid by Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose.
Ozekhome said this in reaction to the freezing of his account containing N75 million domiciled with GTBank.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which had alleged the money was laundered, yesterday secured exparte order of forfieture of the sum from Justice Abdulazeez Anka of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
Ozekhome has, however, countered claim by EFCC that the money was questionable.
He said: “It is alleged that the said sum of N75 million is ‘’suspected’’ to be the proceeds of crime or that it is from money laundering. This is an invidious lie from the pit of hell.
“For the records, the N75 million was paid into my account by my client, Governor Fayose of Ekiti State, as part payment of professional fees for the numerous cases my chambers is currently handling for him and his aides across Nigeria.
“The money is neither ‘’suspected proceeds of crime’’ nor of money laundering.”
“I am a practising lawyer, not a government employee, contractor or a business man. I have NEVER laundered and will NEVER launder any money in my life.”
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