Emefiele-led CBN Released $6.2m for Foreign Election Observers, Director Testifies
Emefiele-led CBN Released $6.2m for Foreign Election Observers, Director Testifies
The trial of the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, continued on Monday at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, with a deputy director at the apex bank, Onyeka Ogbu, testifying against him.
Emefiele faces charges including forgery, criminal conspiracy, conferring undue advantage, and breach of trust, among others, brought by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC alleges that Emefiele impersonated the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to unlawfully obtain $6.2m. It is claimed that on February 8, 2023, Emefiele colluded with Odoh Ocheme, now on the run, to obtain the funds from the CBN, citing a letter purportedly from the SGF.
According to the EFCC, Emefiele claimed the SGF requested the release of $6,230,000.00 for international election observer missions, following a presidential directive.
Furthermore, the agency alleges that Emefiele forged a document titled “PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE ON FOREIGN ELECTION OBSERVER MISSIONS” in January 2023 to support the transaction, involving Ocheme in the forgery.
During Monday’s trial, Deputy Director Onyeka Ogbu testified that he approved the $6.2m payment request for international election observers on January 8, 2023. He explained that, as per procedure, he reviewed and authorized the payment request submitted by the Banking Services Department.
Ogbu clarified that the memo instructed the Branch Controller to disburse the funds to a staff member of the SGF’s office, specifying it was for international election observers and to debit an account accordingly.
The payment was made on September 8, 2023, as stated in the memo, with the understanding that it would be refunded in the second quarter of 2023 by the Federal Ministry of Finance.
During the trial, the prosecution encountered issues with some document certifications, leading to a request for a brief stand-down to rectify them. However, the defense rejected this proposal, arguing that sufficient time was needed for proper certification.
Consequently, Justice Hamza Muazu adjourned the trial until Tuesday for further proceedings, allowing both sides to address the outstanding issues.
Credit : Punch News