Perm Sec accuses Ondo dep gov of embezzling N40m

Embattled deputy governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, has been accused of embezzling N40 million.
Permanent Secretary in his office, Kehinde Temitokan, told the panel investigating impeachable offences against Olanusi in Akure, the state capital, on Friday evening, that the money was meant for Olanusi’s medical treatment abroad.
Temitokan provided documentary evidence to back his claim.
He also accused the deputy governor’s younger brother and one of his personal assistants of committing forgery with the active connivance of Olanusi.
The Chief of Staff to Governor Olusegun Mimiko, Dr. Kola Ademujimi, also declared that all the seven allegations levelled against Olanusi by the House of Assembly were true.
He said: “The oral and documentary evidence on ground back the claims that Alhaji Olanusi is guilty of all the seven allegations”.
The duo were led in evidence by the counsel to the House of Assembly, Mr Dayo Akinlaja (SAN).
But Olanusi’s counsel, Dr. Benson Enikuomehin, described the sitting as illegal and unconstitutional.
To him, the deputy governor was not properly served to appear before the panel. So, anything done or any decision arrived at was illegal and a contravention of Section 36, sub sections 1,2,3 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
This led to a serious altercation between Enikuomehin and Akinlaja.
Temitokan insisted that Olanusi never provided medical bills to convince the state government that the money was spent on what it was budgetted for.
Among others, he accused his boss of breach of peace, absenteeism, truancy and lack of respect to constituted authority.
While Akinlaja said Olanusi was properly served the notice of impeachment, Enikuomehin insisted that the state government was behind the ordeal of the deputy governor.
To him, since his client was not properly served to appear before the panel, the panel cannot continue sitting.
He told the Chairman of the panel, Mr Olatunji Adeniyan, that it was Olanusi’s son who instructed him to appear because his father was out of the country on a routine medical check up “and he informed the governor before travelling out. So, the deputy governor must be properly served by the House of Assembly”.
But Akinlaja said since Enikuomehin appeared for Olanusi, “that is an indication that the deputy governor was properly served”.
Akinlaja also presented a copy of the letter written to the governor by Olanusi, intimating his boss of his plan to travel abroad on Monday “which means he is still in the country”.
“I pray this panel to discountenance the claim that the deputy governor was not properly served because all the evidence shows that he was properly served and he is still in the country,” he said.
In his ruling, Adeniyan declared that sufficient evidence showed that Olanusi was properly served the summon.
He also ruled that in the absence of any representation or presentation, the sitting had come to an end.
He promised that the panel would send its resolutions to the House of Assembly.
A furious Enikuomehin stormed out of the panel sitting.