The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) has said that it has collected telephone evidence and WhatsApp messages from a businessman over a $17.1m the former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, from him.
An EFCC investigator, Mr Alvan Gurumnaan, told an Ikeja High Court that an aide received the sum on behalf of Emefiele over a three-year period.
Emefiele is standing trial on a 19-count charge bordering on receiving gratification and corrupt demands.
Emefiele’s co-defendant, Henry Omoile, is facing a three-count charge bordering on unlawful acceptance of gifts by agents.
The duo are charged with fraud totaling $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.
Gurumnaan, an Assistant Commandant with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said that he was assigned to head a special operations unit tasked with investigating both defendants.
He was led in evidence by the EFCC lead counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).
The witness told the court that the anti-graft agency had earlier received several intelligence reports against Emefiele, even while he was in office.
He said the reports bordered on allegations of abuse of office, demanding and receiving gratification, procurement fraud, and living above his means.
The witness told the court that one of the former CBN governor’s close aides, Mr Monday Osazuwa, received a total of 17.1 million dollars from a businessman at an address in Victoria Island, Lagos, between September 2020 and June 2023.
“Osazuwa collected these sums in various tranches and delivered them to Emefiele at his Ikoyi residence,” he said.
Gurumnaan also stated that part of the money was handed to one Henry Omoile, on Emefiele’s instruction.
“The special operations team launched a far-reaching investigation, issuing multiple requests for documents and inviting key staff from several CBN departments.
“One name that surfaced repeatedly during the investigation was that of Eric Odoh, Emefiele’s former personal assistant.
“All efforts to bring Odoh in for questioning were unsuccessful as he had absconded and was traced to the United Kingdom, Canada, and other countries,” he said.
The investigator also said that EFCC wrote to agencies such as the Code of Conduct Bureau and Corporate Affairs Commission, seeking more information.
He said it was during the investigation that some staff members who worked directly under Emefiele either at the CBN’s headquarters or at the Lagos annex were questioned.
The witness said there were instances where Emefiele’s aide said he handed the money directly to Emefiele.
“The aide said Emefiele always confirms the receipt of the sums of money with the businessman in question over the phone after each transaction.
“The contact person was also invited for questioning and he confirmed giving Emefiele’s aide a total sum of $17.1 million.
“The team also examined the phone of the businessman, and some WhatsApp chats were revealed and printed at the EFCC Lagos office for use during the trial,” he said.
When the prosecution sought to tender the printed documents as exhibits, counsel to Emefiele, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), did not object.
However, counsel to Emefiele’s co-defendant, Mr Adeyinka Kotoye (SAN), urged the court to allow him to tender his objections during the final written address.
The judge agreed and admitted the documents as exhibits. However, the defence counsel requested leave of court to conduct an independent forensic examination of the exhibits.
The defence submitted that it would be beneficial for them during cross-examination.
The court thereafter ordered them to file a formal application to that effect, to enable the prosecution to file an appropriate response.
The case was adjourned until to Oct. 7 for continuation of trial.
