How Emefiele approved $6.23m for foreign election observers–Witness

A witness named Onyeka Ogbu told the federal high court in Abuja on Monday that the former CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, approved the sum of $6.2 million to election observers during the 2023 general election.

Ogbu, who was the first witness presented by the Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in a 20-count charge against the former apex bank chief, said he was a Deputy Director at the CBN in charge of branch operations.

The witness identified several documents that he stated were linked to the disbursement of the funds to overseas election observers.

He told the court that he became aware of the approval through a department within the central bank, clarifying that his role was solely to facilitate the release of the requested funds in compliance with established procedures.

“On January 8, 2023, the request for payment of $6, 230, 000 was brought to my attention by the Banking Services Department.  Ours is to make payment. We do not have the power to approve.

“So, having gone through the documents and satisfied, I minuted on it and sent it for processing and disbursement which was complied with,” the witness said.

Meanwhile, while the witness was identifying the documents, it was discovered that two of them were missing.

As a result, the prosecution counsel requested a recess in the trial to allow him time to obtain the missing documents.

However, the defence attorney representing the former CBN governor, Matthew Burkaa, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), objected to the prosecution’s request.

He said an adjournment would be better for the prosecution to get all the Certified true copies and also for the witness to be cross-examined.

After listening to their submissions, Justice Hamza Muazu adjourned the matter until Tuesday for the continuation of trial.

The EFCC on Monday opened its case in the trial of the suspended Central Bank Governor (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, on a procurement fraud charge in an FCT High Court in Abuja.

Some of the amended charges EFCC,  alleged that Emefiele, in January 2023,  forged a document titled: “RE: PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE ON FOREIGN ELECTION OBSERVER MISSIONS,” dated 26 January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.

READ ALSO: EFCC declares Emefiele’s wife, three others wanted

The EFCC said Emefiele claimed to know that it was false “and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.”

According to the amended charge marked CR/577/2023, Emefiele, on February 8, 2023, connived with one  Odoh Ocheme, who is now on the run, to obtain $6.2 million from the CBN, claiming that it was requested by the SGF “vide a letter dated 26th January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.”

The anti-graft agency alleged that the contract for the renovation of the CBN Governor’s lodge, located at  No. 2 Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, was awarded to a company named Messrs. Architekon Nigeria Limited, “wherein the duo are directors and majority shareholders.”

The offence, according to EFCC, contravened the provisions of sections 17, and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act, 2000, also, sections 315, 363 and 364 of the penal code.

The anti-graft agency had in August, first charged Emefiele and Mrs Sa’adatu Yaro and a company, April 1616 Investment Limited, purported to belong to Yaro, on alleged breach of the procurement Act in respect of the purchase of some vehicles.