Prosecution Witness Alleges $400,000 Transaction Involving Former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele
In a dramatic twist in the ongoing trial of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, the 7th prosecution witness, Mr John Adetola, has made startling revelations about a $400,000 transaction allegedly carried out on behalf of the former CBN chief.
Adetola, who identified himself as an Executive Assistant to Emefiele, took the stand on Thursday to testify before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Ikeja High Court. He disclosed that his role as Executive Assistant granted him direct access to Emefiele and involved tasks such as managing office correspondence, attending to visitors, and performing other duties as assigned by his boss.
1The $400,000 Transaction
While being cross-examined by the lead counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, Adetola recounted how he was instructed to collect $400,000 from a former CBN director.
“In 2018, I can’t recall the exact date, I received a message on WhatsApp from Mr. Eric Odoh, the personal assistant to the CBN Governor in Abuja,” Adetola said. “He instructed me to collect $400,000 from Mr. John Ayoh, the former Director of the ICT Department, and deliver it to the CBN Governor in Lagos.”
Adetola narrated how he travelled to Lekki, Lagos, to meet Ayoh at his residence. “I went to Mr. Ayoh’s house, collected an envelope containing the money, and returned to the office, where I handed it over to the former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele,” he testified.
2Direct Communication with Emefiele
Adetola further revealed the nature of his communication with Emefiele, mentioning that he interacted with the former CBN boss through various channels, including telephone calls, emails, and face-to-face conversations. He also identified some of Emefiele’s close family members.
“I communicated with the former CBN Governor through telephone, office lines, email, and verbal communication. I know his brothers, Mr. George and Mr. Okanta, and his wife, Mrs. Margaret Emefiele. I also know the second defendant, Mr. Henry Omoile, who lived in Emefiele’s house in Lagos,” Adetola disclosed.
3Key Documents Presented
During his testimony, Adetola informed the court that the EFCC had accessed his mobile phone, which contained several office documents related to the transaction. These documents included communications between him, John Ayoh, and Eric Odoh. He confirmed that the documents were printed from his phone and that he had endorsed them.
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In light of this, Mr. Oyedepo, the EFCC prosecutor, sought the court’s permission to tender the bundle of documents as evidence.
4Defense Objections and Court Ruling
The defense team, led by Olalekan Ojo, SAN, representing Emefiele, initially raised objections to the admissibility of the documents but later withdrew their objections after Oyedepo clarified that the documents were being tendered solely for identification purposes.
However, Adeyinka Kotoye, SAN, counsel for the second defendant, Henry Omoile, maintained his objection, arguing that the documents lacked a proper legal basis for admission. He contended that the documents did not meet the evidentiary standards required for admissibility in court.
In response, Oyedepo insisted that the documents were crucial to establishing key elements of the alleged offense.
After considering the arguments from both sides, Justice Rahman Oshodi ruled in favor of admitting the documents, marking them for identification purposes only.
5Next Steps
With the documents admitted, Justice Oshodi adjourned the case to December 10 for the cross-examination of Mr. Adetola. The defense is expected to challenge the credibility of the witness and the authenticity of the documents in subsequent proceedings.
6Background
Godwin Emefiele, who served as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria from 2014 to 2023, is facing multiple charges, including alleged financial misconduct during his tenure. The trial has garnered significant public attention, as it delves into allegations of corruption at the highest levels of Nigeria’s financial sector.
Stay tuned for further updates as the trial unfolds.
