N540million OSOPADEC Fraud : EFCC takes custody of 13 exotic cars seized from Ex-Chairman

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The Police in Ondo State said on Monday that 13 exotic vehicles seized from the former Chairman of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, Debo Ajimuda, have been released to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The clarification was made by the Police Public Relations Officer, Wole Ogodo, in the face of allegations that the vehicles may have been released to the suspect who is facing trial for allegedly embezzling the commission’s N540million.

Mr. Ogodo said the vehicles were evacuated by the EFCC following a formal request by the commission last week.

“We are not in charge of the matter, the vehicles were just kept in our custody for safety,” he said.

“The EFCC brought a letter that we should release the vehicles they kept in our custody to them, and we did.”

Denying any knowledge of the purpose of evacuation of the vehicles, Mr. Ogodo said, “I don’t know why they evacuated the cars, it is the EFCC that can explain that.”

The vehicles were recovered from Mr. Ajimuda in March 2012 and kept in the custody of the Ondo State Police Command.

Mr. Adimula was arraigned for fraud by the EFCC in June 2012 at the Federal High Court in Akure on a 13-count charge along with four others, and were later granted bail.

Although the case is still ongoing, the reason for the release of the vehicles to the EFCC as claimed by the Police in the state is yet to be ascertain.

Some of the vehicles include: a Toyota Tundra Jeep with registration number ABUJA FY 195 ABC; a Mercedes Benz 4matic 2011 model, with registration number LAGOS DK 777 FST; Toyota Corolla with registration number, ABUJA HJ 805 ABC; a Toyota Solara, ABUJA EU 777 ABJ; a Toyota Venza, Benz 500, registration number: DK 777FST, as well as a G.Wagon Benz.

When contacted for comments, Monday morning, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said he would crosscheck with the operations department of the commission and revert to our correspondent.

He is yet to do so at the time of publishing this.