A prosecution witness, Monday Osazuwa, yesterday told Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court that former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele instructed him not to keep records of all the money he collected on his behalf.
Osazuwa, a CBN employee who had earlier testified as the first prosecution witness in the trial, also told the court that the former CBN boss specifically instructed him not to maintain records of the cash transactions.
He had earlier told the court on April 12, 2024, that Emefiele allegedly instructed him on several occasions to collect a total of $3 million in cash in tranches.
He explained, “The largest amount I collected was $1 million, all in cash. Weeks later, I collected $850,000, $750,000, and $400,000 in cash, each in tranches. I did not keep records of these transactions because Emefiele told me to collect the money and bring it to his house.”
Osazuwa testified that upon receiving the money, he would deliver it to Emefiele’s residence, where Emefiele would instruct him to pass it to the second defendant, Herry Omoile when he was not home.
Osazuwa, who has known Emefiele since his time at Zenith Bank before he joined the CBN as contract staff in 2014, stated that he was later appointed as a full-time senior supervisor responsible for recording and filing documents in the governor’s office.
The former CBN boss was arraigned before the court alongside one Herry Omoile on allegations of accepting gratification, accepting gifts through agents, corruption, and fraudulent property receipts.
They were also accused of conferring corrupt advantage on his associates contrary to the Corrupt Practices Act of 2000 in the charge filed on April 3rd by the EFCC Prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).
During Monday’s proceedings, Osazuwa was asked by Emefiele’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, if he had ever produced any written instructions from Emefiele regarding the unofficial tasks he performed for the first defendant. Osazuwa responded that he included that information in his statement.
When Ojo asked if he had provided any documents to the EFCC showing where he recorded the money collected for Emefiele, he replied, “No document has been produced. The instructions from the first defendant were that I should not write anything down.”
He further confirmed that he had no document from either Emefiele or Omoile that acknowledged the receipt of money.
When questioned about the importance of keeping records of financial transactions, Osazuwa acknowledged that it is crucial for record-keeping and future reference but reiterated that he did not maintain any records. “I did not produce any record; I followed the instructions given to me regarding the money I collected for him,” he said.
The sixth Prosecution Witness, John Ogah, told the court that he was a staff member of Zenith Bank, where he worked as Godwin Emefiele’s secretary when he was the bank’s Managing Director.
Led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), the witness stated that he later joined the Central Bank of Nigeria, still as Secretary (in charge of administration) to the governor of CBN. He said he was responsible for receiving all internal and external mail for the governor of CBN and directed his attention to them.
“I worked in the CBN governor’s office and took instructions from the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele’, he added.
When asked if he knew Adetola John, the witness said,” Yes, I know Adetola; he was my colleague. We worked together in the CBN governor’s office; he was in the Lagos office while I was in the Abuja office.
He further told the court that while working for the first defendant (Emefiele), he was asked to give documents to the account officer of three companies: Limelight, Comec, and Answin Resources Limited in Zenith Bank.
He said, “I scanned the document and sent it to the account officer of three companies, namely, Limelight, Comec, and Answin Resources Limited in Zenith Bank, through his official email.”
The judge had adjourned the matter to October 30 for the continuation of the trial.
