- Witness Reveals How He Collected $3m For Embattled Ex-CBN Boss
- Emefiele Gets N50m Bail, Freed After Meeting Bail Conditions
- Judge Adjourns Case Until April 29 As Emefiele Moves For Closed-Session Of Trial
There was a pin-drop silence at the Ikeja Special Offences Court, Lagos when a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Monday Osasuwa spewed messy details of how he collect the sum of $3m in tranches from the apex bank on behalf of the embattled governor of the apex bank, Godwin Emefiele.
Osasuwa, made the disclosure while being led in evidence before Justice Rahman Oshodi by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.
He disclosed that he was a dispatch rider in Zenith Bank as at 2001 before he joined CBN as a contract staff in 2014.
He said, “I joined the CBN in 2014 as a contract staff and became staff in 2015. I knew the first defendant (Emefiele) when he was a Deputy Director of Zenith Bank, and he later became Director. I have worked with him since then.
“I was still working in the governor’s office while I was appointed as a full staff, and we usually communicate through WhatsApp and Emails. I performed as a senior supervisor, recording and filing with other official roles.”
He also testified that sometime in 2020, the first defendant sent him on an errand.
“When he called me, he directed that I should call a businessman who gave me $1 million dollars on his behalf. Some weeks later, the first defendant also called me that I should meet the man and he gave me $850,000, $750,000 and $400,000 cash in tranches.”
Osazuwa further confirmed to the court that he knew Dumies Oil and Gas Limited while he was in Zenith Bank Plc. He added that the former CBN governor, who was also the MD of the company, always sent him to collect cheques from one Mr Monday.
The witness told the court that he always logged the money into the account of Dumies on the order of Emefiele.
When he was asked where the second defendant resides, he responded that Henry Isioma Omoile lived in the residence of the former CBN governor.
His words, “Whenever I receive the money and take it to the residence of Mr Emefiele. He always tells me to give it to the second defendant whenever he was not at home.
“I did not keep record of transactions because the instruction he gave me was that I should collect the money and bring the money to his house. The highest amount I collected is $1 million all in cash.
“He has never for one day said take this. I have never been rewarded, paid or given anything because I am doing it out of faithfulness and he knows I am faithful to him.”
The witness was cross-examined by the defendant’s counsel, Abdulakeem Labi-Lawal.
The witness confirmed to the court that he had been working with the defendant since 2002 but he could not say the precise number of years or months he had seen the second defendant.
Osazuwa said that he was sure that Omoile had been living in Emefiele’s house for some months.
He affirmed that Emefiele passed instructions to him through the second defendant and that he had been collecting cheques for Dumies Oil and Gas.
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“I started collecting cheques for Dummies Oil and Gas when I was in Zenith Bank. I cannot calculate the exact year I have been collecting the cheques but it all started when the first defendant was the MD at Zenith Bank and I was working at Zenith Bank Plc.”
The witness told the court that when he was made to confront the second defendant during investigation, the second defendant did not admit that instructions were passed through him.
Before the witness testified, Justice Oshodi turned down a request for adjournment made by the defence counsel.
He ruled that the request for adjournment was unjustified.
Earlier during proceedings yesterday, Justice Oshodi granted bail in the sum of N50 million to the embattled former CBN Governor.
Justice Oshodi, in a ruling, admitted Emefiele to N50 million bail with two sureties in like sum.
Oshodi ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and must have made three years tax payment with the Lagos State Government.
READ ALSO: Reprieve As Lagos Court Grants Emefiele N50m Bail
He also said that the sureties must show proper identification and must be registered in the Lagos State Bail Management System.
The judge said he was satisfied with the bail conditions of N1 million earlier given to Emefiele’s co-defendant, Isioma-Omoile, who is facing another charge before Justice Olufunke Sule-Hamzat at a Yaba High Court.
Oshodi, however, said that the bail documents must be transferred to special offences court and it must also be registered in the Lagos State Bail Management System.
Emefiele, who arrived at the Lagos High Court, Ikeja in custody of operatives of the EFCC on Friday, left for his home after the court proceedings.
Justice Rahman Oshodi, who ruled on his bail application, admitted him to bail in the sum of N50m with two sureties in like sum.
The court adjourned to April 29 for continuation of trial and for hearing of some applications requesting a closed session for some of the prosecution’s witnesses.
The Matrix recalls that EFCC had on April 8 arraigned Emefiele on a 23-count charge bordering on abuse of office, accepting gratifications, corrupt demand, receiving property fraudulently obtained 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.
