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| Emefiele. |
The 12th Prosecution Witness, PW12, David Oyesina Jaiyeoba in the trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN's governor, Godwin Emefiele, on Friday, January 30, 2026, told the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Hamza Muazu that the sum of $2,045,000 (Two Million, Forty Five Thousand United States Dollars) and title documents recovered from Emefiele’s lawyer, belonged to Emefiele.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel and Director,
Public Prosecution, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the witness, an investigation officer
with the Economic and financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, informed the court
that the defendant’s investigation was triggered by a report sent to the
Commission by the Inter-Agency Task Force, headed by the Directorate of State
Services, DSS.
“Several individuals, companies and government
agencies were invited and interviewed and several findings were made,” he said,
adding that a lot of assets as well as cash were recovered in the process which
have been forfeited to the federal government.
“Two million dollars was discovered to have come from one
Eric Ocheme Odo. The said Eric was PA (Personal Assistant) to the defendant
during his tenure as governor of CBN. It was confirmed by the person who kept
the over $2,0450,000, who happens to be the lawyer of the defendant, that the
cash we found in his possession was the property of the defendant. We found
property documents and he also confirmed that the property belonged to the
defendant,” he said.
Testifying further, he said, “My lord, funds amounting
to $2,045,000.00 alongside several property title documents were recovered from
Zenith Bank Plc Headquarters in Lagos in the possession of one Mr. Collins
Omeife, lawyer to the defendant. In the course of our investigations on
Collins, it was discovered that Mr. Collins Omeife had been acquiring and
perfecting title documents on the instruction of the defendant.”
Omeife, according to the witness, disclosed on interrogation
that the defendant was in the habit of giving him cash, some in foreign
currency, precisely United States Dollars for the acquisition of properties. He
further stated that the funds were usually sent to him by the defendant’s
personal assistant, Eric Ocheme Odoh. Omeife, the witness said, also used part
of the funds to renovate some of the old assets of the defendant.
The PW12 added that the defendant’s ownership of the assets
was further confirmed by the defendant when he came to show cause as to why the
assets should not be forfeited to the federal government.
He also informed the court that Emefiele approved payments
for contracts to several companies including Architekon Nigeria Limited,
promoted by MacCombo Omoile, his brother-in-law and Margaret Omoile, his wife.
According to him, the defendant approved payment for Messrs. Architekon Nigeria
Ltd, disclosing that Exhibit A1 is an internal memorandum of the CBN, showing
approval for the payment of the CBN governor’s residential house in Ikoyi
Lagos. He further stated that Exhibit A2 is a contract document for the
landscaping of the governor’s residence by Architekon Nigeria Ltd.
The witness highlighted that Exhibit A5 is an internal memo
of the CBN, requesting for approval to pay the sum of N97,908,416.38 (Ninety
Seven Million, Nine Hundred and Eight Thousand, Four Hundred and Sixteen
Thousand, Thirty Eight Kobo) to Architekon Nig Ltd for the supply of office
furniture to the CBN, approved by the defendant, while Exhibit A8, is
another internal memo of the CBN, a contract for the provision of dedicated
power in the CBN governor’s residence, with an interim certificate, approved by
the defendant.
The witness further highlighted that there was
correspondence between the EFCC and Zenith Bank in respect of the defendant’s
account, adding that Exhibit ED1, ED2, ED3 are responses received from EFCC’s
request to Zenith Bank Plc on the accounts of the defendant. “Exhibit ED3 is a
debit entry on the account of the defendant to the account no
2020000064
, amounting to N4 million which
was paid to Architekon Nigeria Ltd.
Justice Muazu adjourned the matter till March 5, 16 and 17,
2026 for continuation of trial.
The EFCC is prosecuting Emefiele on amended 20-count charge,
bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery, obtaining by false
pretence, conspiracy to commit forgery, procurement fraud, and conspiracy to
commit felony before Justice Muazu.
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