Witness: How $6.23m was taken from CBN coffers under Emefiele
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) heard yesterday how some individuals used forged signatures to withdraw $6.23million from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) when Godwin Emefiele
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) heard yesterday how some individuals used forged signatures to withdraw $6.23million from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) when Godwin Emefiele was its governor.
Eloho Okpoziakpo, a witness in Emefiele’s ongoing trial on fraud- related charges, said the forged signatures included those of the late President Muhammadu Buhari and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha.
Emefiele is being prosecuted for, among others, allegedly authorising the release of the $6.23m for the payment of international election observers during the 2023 general election. He denied the allegation, along with other claims in the charge on which he is being tried.
Okpoziakpo said the investigation not only revealed that the money was fraudulently taken from the apex bank’s vault, but some of the suspects also confessed to the crime during the investigation.
Okpoziakpo, who described himself as a commissioner of Police in charge of the Special Fraud Unit in Lagos, was led in evidence by prosecuting lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).
The witness told the court that himself and three other police personnel were asked to assist Mr Jim Obaze, appointed by President Bola Tinubu as the special investigator on issues relating to the CBN after the controversial naira redesign episode spearheaded by Emefiele.
The witness said he not only assist the special investigator in taking statements and interrogating suspects but also provided intelligence to aid Obaze’s work.
Okpoziakpo said, in the course of the investigation, his team got intelligence on the $6.23million that was fraudulently taken from the Abuja branch of the CBN that had Emefiele ‘s approval.
He said his team investigated the intelligence and interrogated the ex-CBN boss.
The witness added that his team’s probe revealed that the money was fraudulently taken because some of the suspects, including one Maishanu, confessed.
Okpoziakpo added that the office of the SGF denied ever requesting money for election observers during the 2023 election season.
Read Also: Emefiele: 'How $6.23m was withdrawn from CBN with forged Buhari, Mustapha's signatures'
The witness told the court that the money was withdrawn using some documents, including a letter forwarding purported approval of the late Buhari for the $6.23million to be paid.
When asked to identify some of the documents, which are already tendered as exhibits, Okpoziakpo said Exhibit PD6 was a document directed at Emefiele, requesting the release of the $6.23m.
He added that another exhibit, marked: PD7, was a January 24, 2023 document purportedly giving the approval of the then President Buhari for the money.
The witness further told the court that the request was treated and the money was paid.”
Okpoziakpo also identified documents marked: Exhibit PD1 to PD5, which he claimed to have personally recovered from the Abuja branch of the CBN, where the alleged fraudulent withdrawal was made.
He said PD1 contains “details of the amount of money that was paid out in $100 denomination on February 8, 2023, while PD2 was a memo from the CBN’s Director of Banking Services Department to the Abuja branch Controller, giving approval to the branch controller to pay the sum of $6.23million.”
At the instance of the parties, trial judge, Justice Hamza Muazu, adjourned till July 2 for continuation of the hearing.
