An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s witness, John Adetola, on Thursday, narrated to the Lagos Special Offences Court in Ikeja how he handed over $400,000 to the embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
Adetola, an executive assistant to the former CBN Governor, made the disclosure while testifying before Justice Rahman Oshodi.
The embattled Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, are facing trial on 26 counts, bordering on abuse of office alleged $4.5bn and N2.8bn fraud.
Adetola, who is the seventh prosecution witness, while being led in evidence by the EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), said he was summoned from Ekiti, his new posting place.
He said: “In 2018, I can’t remember the date, Mr. Eric Odoh sent me a message on WhatsApp that I should go and collect the sum of $400,000 from John Ayoh and give it to the former CBN Governor when he came to Lagos.
“I went to the house of John Ayoh at Lekki in Lagos. He gave me an envelope and I came back to the office, and I gave it to the former CBN Governor.”
The witness told the court that he was the Executive Assistant to the former CBN Governor, and he managed office correspondences, attended to visitors, and performed other tasks as assigned to his boss.
“I joined the CBN in June 2014, but initially, I was with Veritas Registrars, formerly Zenith Registrars. I joined the company in 2007.”
He also stated that he knew the former CBN Governor as the Managing Director of Zenith Bank before he started working at the CBN.
Asked to mention his means of communication with Emefiele, the witness replied, “I communicate with the former CBN Governor through telephone, office line, email, and verbal communication.”
Asked to name some of Emefiele’s family members, the witness said, “I know Mr. George, I know Mr Okanta. They are Mr Emefiele’s brothers. I know his wife, Mrs Margaret Emefiele. I know the second defendant, Henry Omoile.”
The witness also gave an account of how he was invited by the EFCC.
“In February 2023, I received an invitation from the EFCC to come to their office. They interviewed me. I travelled to the EFCC office in Lagos and made voluntary statements.”
When asked by the prosecutor if in the course of discharging his duties to the former CBN Governor, he had any interaction with John Ayoh.
“Yes, we work together; John Ayoh was the former Director of the ICT,” the witness said.
Adetola also informed the court that his phone was assessed by the EFCC and he was questioned based on some office documents that were seen which were printed out.
“In 2018, I can’t remember the date, Mr Eric sent me a message on WhatsApp that I should go collect $400,000 from John Ayoh and give it to the former CBN Governor when he comes to Lagos.
“I went to the house of John Ayoh at Lekki in Lagos State; he gave me an envelope, and I came back to the office; I gave it to the former CBN Governor,” the witness said.
An attempt by the prosecution to tender the documents as exhibits was, however, resisted by the defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN) and Adeyinka Kotoye (SAN).
But Justice Oshodi, in a bench ruling, dismissed the objection by the defence and admitted as exhibits “a combination of official communication between the witness and Emefiele via Whatsapp, between the witness and John Ogah and Eric Odoh.”
Further hearing in the matter was adjourned till December 10.(Punch)
