February 12, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, opened its case of alleged criminal breach of trust, forgery, and conspiracy to obtain by false pretence against the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
Emefiele is being prosecuted on a 20-count amended charge, filed by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
According to the amended charge, Emefiele is being accused of forging a document titled: “Re: Presidential Directive on Foreign Election Observer Missions”.
Dated January 26, 2023, with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201, the former apex bank chief was alleged to have obtained by false pretence, $6,230,000.00 by falsely representing that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation requested the CBN to provide a contingent logistic advance in the sum of $6,230,000 “in line with Mr. President’s directive.”
Led in evidence before the FCT High Court on Monday, EFCC prosecuting witness, Ogbu Onyeka Michael, a Deputy Director at CBN’s Branch Operation Department, said the funds were released because the request documents contained evidence of approvals by the then President Muhammadu Buhari and Emefiele.
“On that day, the request for the payment of $6,230,000 was received in my office by my Office Assistant, who brought it to my attention. When I received the document, I found that it was from the Banking Services Department.
“The Director, Banking Services signed the memo, and the content of the memo contained an instruction for the Branch Controller to pay the sum of $6,230,000 to a staff of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, with the identity and the name of the person mentioned.
“The memo said the payment was for international election observers and that we should debit an account – Naira Forex Account – with the naira equivalent of $6,230,000.
“The memo also said that the money will be refunded in the second quarter of 2023 by the Federal Ministry of Finance.
“It went on to say ‘Find attached the approval of the governor of the CBN for the payment.’
“The attachment had the approval of the governor of the CBN. It also had the approval of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the request letter from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
“Payment was eventually made. The $6,230,000 was paid on the 8th of September 2023. The payment was in cash,” he said while being led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).
However, an attempt by Oyedepo to tender uncertified documents to back the claims was objected to by Emefiele’s legal team led by Matthew Bukaa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Oyedepo had prayed the court to be allowed to tender the documents as they were, with a promise to replace them later with properly certified copies. Bukaa also objected to a request for a brief stand down of about 30 minutes to get the documents certified.
However, Justice Hamza Muazu adjourned until February 13, to allow the prosecution sufficient time to put its house in order, and for the continuation of the trial.
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