Emefiele trial witness reveals $400k transaction

A witness in the ongoing trial of the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has testified to handling $400,000 on Emefiele’s behalf.

The testimony was presented by Mr. John Adetola, an Executive Assistant to Emefiele, during Thursday’s proceedings at the Ikeja Special Offences Court, Lagos.

Adetola, the seventh prosecution witness, revealed that in 2018, he was directed via WhatsApp by Eric Odoh, a personal assistant to Emefiele, to collect the money from Mr. John Ayoh, a former ICT director at the CBN. He stated that he retrieved the envelope containing the cash from Ayoh’s residence in Lekki, Lagos, and handed it directly to Emefiele at the CBN office in Lagos.

While being cross-examined by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, Adetola described his professional duties as including managing correspondences and facilitating communication, which often required direct access to Emefiele.

Adetola further testified that EFCC officials had accessed his mobile phone and retrieved documents and communications linked to the transaction, which he authenticated as genuine. The prosecution sought to tender these documents in court, but defense lawyers raised objections. Justice Rahman Oshodi admitted the documents for identification purposes and adjourned the case until December 10 for further cross-examination.

The case, which has drawn national attention, centers around allegations of financial misconduct during Emefiele’s tenure as CBN Governor.