Court Admits Account Opening Package, Other Documents Against Emefiele, Others
Kemisola Oye
THE trial of the embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, charged with abuse of office, alleged $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion fraud, continued today (Thursday 9 May 2024) with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) tendering bundles of documents before the court.
The bundles of documents were tendered through the third prosecution witness (PW3), a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, Mr Clement Ngolu, by the EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).
The documents were admitted in evidence as there were no objections raised from the first defendant’s counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN) and the second defendant’s counsel, Mr Adeyinka Kotoye (SAN) to their admissibility.
Justice Rahman Oshodi admitted the original copies of the Zenith Bank account opening package and statement of account of Limelight Multidimensional Services Ltd which were sent to EFCC in evidence.
“I have read the documents dated March 2024 and I admit the original certified copy of the bundles of documents which include account opening package and statement of accounts in evidence and are marked as exhibit A,” Justice Oshodi held.
Ngolu, in his evidence-in-chief, said his department responded to regulators and law enforcement agencies in order to ensure that the bank activities were in line with banking policies and regulations.
He added that his department worked with agencies like EFCC, Nigeria Police, ICPC and NSCDC.
The witness said that sometime in 2014, his department received a request from the EFCC to furnish it with statements of accounts of Limelight Multidimensional Services Ltd and two other accounts and that the department duly furnished the Commission with the requested details.
“The documents we sent to EFCC were duly signed by staff of the bank.
“The process of generating the statement was through our computer system which was in good condition at the time.
“The documents were printed out from the company’s computer which was working well and the documents are in the bank’s custody,” the witness stated.
The witness was not cross-examined by the defence.
Also, a former Director of Information Technology at the CBN, Mr John Ayoh, in the continuation of his cross-examination, said he had a confrontation with Mr Emefiele because he asked him to do something wrong.
The witness further confirmed that he was sidelined by the embattled former governor owing to the fact that he became unpopular with him, adding that his being sidelined made him lose his relationship with him.
According to him: “I was not happy being unpopular with the former CBN governor but on a number of occasions, I signed contract letters to vendors.
“While I was a director with the CBN, my loyalty was to the bank and the Nigerian nation and my relationship with Emefiele was only formal and based on instructions.
“The governor and the four deputy governors of the bank, alongside the directors make up the management team of the CBN.”
The fourth prosecution witness, a contractor, in his evidence, also testified to being pressurized by the CBN management to pay the sum of $600,000 for the payment of the contract which he had executed.
Ayoh had on 29 April 2024 narrated before the court how he collected $600,000 allegedly for contract gratification for the embattled ex-apex bank governor.
EFCC had on 8 April 2024 arraigned Mr Emefiele on a 23-count charge bordering on abuse of office, accepting gratifications, corrupt demand, receiving property fraudulently obtaining and conferring corrupt advantage, while his co-defendant was arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on acceptance of gift by agents.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The judge adjourned the case till 17 May 2024 for the continuation of trial.
Eighteen-Eleven Media
