A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele has told a Federal Capital Territory High Court that some suspects confessed to the fraudulent withdrawal of $6.23 million from the apex bank.
The witness, Eloho Okpoziakpo, a Commissioner of Police with the Special Fraud Unit, Lagos, testified on Tuesday before Justice Hamza Muazu at the Maitama Division of the court.
Emefiele is standing trial on an amended 20-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery, abuse of office, conspiracy, and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of $6,230,000. The money was said to be meant for international election observers during the 2023 general election. The defendant has pleaded not guilty.
Okpoziakpo told the court that he was part of a team deployed to assist the special investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu to probe the CBN and other government entities. He said intelligence reports indicated that $6.23 million was fraudulently withdrawn from the CBN Abuja branch with Emefiele’s approval.
“Investigation revealed that the money was fraudulently taken because some of the suspects, including Maishanu, who we investigated, confessed,” Okpoziakpo said.
He added that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation denied ever requesting money for election observers, which was claimed as the purpose of the funds. The witness stated that the withdrawal was backed by documents, including a letter conveying purported presidential approval by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Okpoziakpo identified documents earlier admitted in evidence, including a request for the release of funds directed to Emefiele and the purported approval dated January 24, 2023. He also told the court that he personally recovered documents from the Abuja branch of the CBN where the cash was withdrawn.
Justice Muazu adjourned the case till July 2 for continuation of the hearing. Earlier, the court had summoned the special investigator and Okpoziakpo to testify, directing them to tender newspaper publications relating to the naira redesign policy.
